Bound to the Stars
by Scarlet MacDuff
Summary: Helped by a slave girl after unexpectedly landing on the farming planet of Lothal, Commander Poe Dameron is met with a path he didn't expect his life to take. Bound to the girl in an attempt to keep her from future enslavement, Poe is determined to find a way to help her that doesn't keep them attached forever... but what if he realizes attached is exactly what he wants? *Pre-TFA*
1. Chapter 1

**Bound to the Stars**

There is a moment in every pilot's head when he gets his ship into space and stares out at the vast expanse of nothingness around him, and feels calm.

He is at peace with himself and the galaxy, everything is dark and quiet and collected.

This was not that moment for Commander Poe Dameron.

Swerving in and out of flying space rock, he barely had time to acknowledge the darkness around him as he checked his radar, hoping his tail was lost in the asteroid shower he'd flown directly into.

A dangerous move for any pilot, the Commander had let his pride grab hold of his controls for a brief moment, steering the ship straight into the flying chunks of rock and making his droid scream with panic behind him.

"Relax Beebee-Ate," he said, typing something into the controls and looking for any sign of the TIE fighter that he'd bumped into on his way back to the Rebel base, thus alerting a whole fleet to follow him. As he said it, he wasn't sure who he was trying to calm down more: the droid or himself.

Looping his X-Wing up and over a large asteroid, he used the brief moment to check his screen for nearby systems.

He couldn't stay hidden in the asteroid field forever; the odds of being shot down by the New Order lackey or crushed by a spinning piece of asteroid rose every second he stayed here. Eventually, he'd have to land his X-Wing somewhere more permanent to hide, and the sooner the better.

Because the chase had taken him all the way out to the outer rim, odds were not in his favor for finding a decent planet to make his hideout. He'd be lucky to find an inhabited planet, let alone one with ties to the Rebellion. Knowing that limited his choices to zero, Poe sighed and flipped through the readings. BB-8 beeped with relief when his screen reported life readings on a planet was within distance.

"I know, that's where we're headed. Prepare to land," Poe said, switching his X-Wing to auto so the droid could control it. As the little droid whirred in agreement, Poe turned his focus on the guns, preparing for a final defense if needed.

However, despite his radar lighting up with scattered New Order TIE's, none appeared in his visual. The asteroid belt had confused them all, something he considered very lucky.

Turning his attention back to the ship's screens, he did a quick read of the description of the planet in front of him.

"Mostly farmers Beebee-Ate, and definitely no one friendly with the New Order," he read more and raised his eyebrows with a shrug to say his thoughts had been correct. "Of course, no one friendly with the Rebellion either. Roughly 20,000 inhabitants, and a very high internal trade rate, interesting. Of course, dealings like that tend to result in unfriendly feelings towards strangers. Looks like you better cross your antenna Beebee-Ate. We may be in for a rough adventure."

The droid beeped his disapproval.

As his ship descended the atmosphere of Lothal, Poe grabbed his blaster, ready for anything.

* * *

 _Hey everybody! I hope you enjoy my new story! I know this chapter's short, but I hope it gets you excited for what's to come!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, and followed this story so far! It means a lot to me!_

* * *

Oria Morvoni sighed, reaching up to wipe the sweat off of her brow. The Lothal sun made working in the sancor fields hot and sticky. Especially when the girl doing the sancor harvesting hadn't known she'd be out here when she dressed for the morning. Her skirt would have had airflow if it weren't for the tight leggings she'd put on under it.

But how was she supposed to know she'd be harvesting? Her master usually tasked her with working in the produce refrigerators, organizing the new supplies from the day before. That job required her to dress warmly, despite the planet's generally warm temperature.

However, produce production was behind, thanks to several slaves being sold a few days prior. Master Trevyon needed more harvesters and less organizers. Oria had been picked to make the switch.

"Water break!" a rough voice shouted and all at once, every slave in the field raised their head, eager for a brief rest and some cool water.

Dropping her spade, Oria wiped her brow a second time before scurrying over to get in line.

"Let's see your hands," the older woman in front of her said, reaching for the girl's wrists and flipping them over.

Oria winced at the contact as they both glanced down at her palms. Ugly, red blisters had begun to form, pulsing as they increased in size. The girl hadn't noticed them before, but now she was very much aware of how much they ached.

"Poor thing," the older woman said, dropping her hands and reaching up to rub Oria's cheek affectionately. "I'll ice and wrap them when we're back at the homestead."

"If I have to do this again tomorrow, I'm going to chop my hair off," Oria announced, tucking her brunette locks up under her cloth head covering for the tenth time that afternoon.

"Oh don't!" a young girl cried, coming up behind Oria in line. She had to have been no older than 12, and her hair was wrapped up in a similar covering, although her clothes were more suited for the heat. "I love your hair. It's so long and pretty!"

Seeing the girl before her, Oria was reminded that most of the people she was working next to in the field had been doing this job since they were 10 years old, the legal age of outdoor labor for a slave. She shouldn't be complaining that her 23-year-old self couldn't handle the work.

"I won't cut it Vicka," Oria said with a smile, pulling the young girl into a hug. "As long as you promise to braid it."

"Next!" the rough voice shouted again and the line moved forward.

"Will you be out in the fields tomorrow?" Vicka asked and Oria shrugged, her smile going away.

"Master Trevyon can have me do whatever he wants. Who knows what that will be tomorrow."

* * *

By the time the sun set, Oria's hands were completely raw. She tried to keep her composure as she followed the line of slaves back to the homestead, but each slight movement made her wince in pain. Passing through the barrier to the homestead, Oria willed the line to move quicker to their houses.

Within the tall wooden wall, each family had a small hut to live in. Unmarried slaves lived in communal bunking houses, and all slaves were required to eat all meals in the mass dining hall.

Despite being owned and living under constant threat of being sold, the life of Master Trevyon's slaves was usually a good one. The tight knit community let everyone in, creating a massive family. It helped for slaves like Oria, who had been separated from their parents and siblings when sold, making them alone and independent.

"Oria!" a voice shouted as the group trudged through the gates. "Master Trevyon wants you in his office," the slave herder said, coming up next to her.

The title was a silly one; he was still a slave. But as a herder, he had authority over the others. His herder's jacket stood out against everyone else, with shiny metal shoulders and proper-looking buttons up the front. In his hand was his herder's staff, and Oria eyed it warily as he walked away, expecting her to follow.

"Wonder what he wants," the brunette grumbled, patting Vicka on the head as she walked out of line to follow the herder.

She hoped it didn't take long, because her hands were in desperate need of some soothing ice. In fact, she planned to ask one of the healers to make her a salve that she could leave on all night, in the hopes of her hands feeling much better in the morning.

Following the herder into Master Trevyon's office, she stood up straighter at the sight of the older man.

His deep purple coat and dark grey pants indicated his status as that of an owner. It was obvious he'd been in town selling produce, and Oria wondered what that part of the planet was like.

She hadn't left the farm since being brought there 13 years prior, and she had certainly never been to town. The slave selling happened outside of town, away from the families and "respectable" people.

"Today's shipment was substantial," Trevyon said, in way of greeting. She was just a slave after all. "I need you in the refrigerator tonight, organizing the produce for tomorrow's sale. Trade prices look good and I want to get maximum profit for this year's crop."

"But Maste-"

His sharp look cut off her attempted protest. He didn't care if her hands were too sore to touch anything. He needed her to work, and so she would work.

"I'd ask someone else, but your knowledge of the refrigerator is top notch, and I don't have time for someone else to learn the ropes. The other organizers are already down there, so you can go join them now. You'll have dinner when it's done."

Oria tried not to show her irritation. Her stomach had been growling for the past hour, and now she'd have to wait even longer before she was fed. By then, the food would have long been cold, which didn't help the already questionable rations they were given.

Sighing, she turned and headed out of the main building and in the direction of the refrigerator. If she hurried, she might have time to wash up a bit. She could at least wipe the dusty sweat off her face and wrap bandages around her hands.

"What are you doing here?" a woman asked as Oria walked into the refrigerator room, rubbing a towel down her face. "Weren't you in the fields all day?"

Oria nodded and the woman scowled.

"I don't believe this! It's bad enough he's making us do double shifts down here. Now he's making you work all night after all day in the field? He can't penalize us just because he decided to sell a few slaves," she mumbled but Oria threw her a look, silencing her.

"He owns us, he can do whatever we want," she said. "You know that Maayv."

And she was right. No matter how angry they got at being overworked, revolting against their master meant immediate death for a slave.

"I'll start on the gorgon fruit," Oria told Maayv. "If I see another sancor today, I'll detonate myself," she said, referencing the dark, inside joke among the slave community.

Chip implants in their bodies tracked them, and were rumored to self-detonate when out of range, although no one had ever risked it. What was the point in putting yourself to all the trouble of escaping if you'd be blown to pieces if you succeeded?

Tying an apron over her outfit to keep the gorgon juice off, Oria pushed open the door to the back stock room, ready to work.

Usually, she preferred being in the main room with the other women. They chatted and gossiped while they worked, and Oria appreciated how it helped her get through the day.

Today she was tired and worn out from the fields. Her usually chipper self was rundown and tired, and if she was being honest, she wasn't really in the mood for chit chat.

She'd rather be alone, focusing on her work and imagining of a better place and uninjured hands.

Reaching the stack of crates, she lifted one up, ignoring the pain that shot through her when the rough wood rubbed against her palms. She set the heavy crate on the sorting table and then froze, frowning.

She thought she'd heard something shuffle behind her in the corner.

Turning and squinting her eyes, she tried to look through the dim light, hoping to see the source of the noise.

If another rat had gotten into the stock room, she might scream in frustration. They tried so hard to keep the buggers out. The little rodents chewed through the crates and ate all the gorgon fruit stalks, making the stock virtually unsellable, except at low prices to the buyers that just wanted discounted fruit.

When that happened, the slaves were punished, and Oria would be damned if she let a little rat get her shackled.

Reaching for a broom, she pulled it close, pausing.

The shuffling noise came again and she tensed up, preparing to strike.

Glad her shoes were soft, she tiptoed along the dirt floor, hoping she didn't scare the creature away before she could get it. She'd never be able to fill her orders if she was focusing on a rat loose in the room.

Slowly creeping around a corner of crates, movement in front of her made her scream, jump and swing the broom around on instinct.

* * *

 _Well? I'd love to hear what everyone's thinking so far, now that they've met my OC/Poe's lady. Leave a review and let me know what you think!_


	3. Chapter 3

Oria's broom swooped through the air with a wish, aimed directly at her unknown target.

"Woah, woah, woah!" a masculine voice cried as a hand shot up and caught the broom handle, stopping it mid-swing. At the contact, Oria gasped and dropped the broom handle, stepping back.

The man before her was definitely unfamiliar to her, meaning he wasn't a slave. His clothes were unusual - an orange jumpsuit with white straps - and his accent was one she'd never heard before.

The two stared at each other for a moment before the door opened. Acting quickly, the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her down behind the crate, holding her close to him as a hand came up to cover her mouth.

"Everything okay in here?" a woman's voice asked and Oria tried to shout, her voice muffled by the man's hands.

"Tell her everything's okay," the man whispered in her ear and something jabbed her ribcage. She knew it was a blaster; the slave herders carried them in holsters as they patrolled the homestead. "Alright?"

She nodded quickly, her stomach practically in her throat with fear. She'd never had a blaster pointed at her before. Was the man going to shoot her? She wasn't sure, but she wasn't going to take any chances.

"Everything's okay!" she cried when he'd pulled his hand away. "Just found a rat!"

"Well kill it before it gets into the crates," the woman muttered before the door closed behind her.

Alone again, Oria and the stranger sat in silence for a moment before she began to struggle against him. Gun or not, she refused to be held so threateningly without a fight.

However, the man didn't resist and so Oria fell forward into the dirt before scrambling to her feet.

"Who are you?" she asked, looking around and grabbing the broom again for protection.

The man stood up and Oria realized he was a few inches taller than herself, with tanned skin, black flowing locks and piercing eyes.

Eyes she found herself getting lost in.

Shaking that thought from her head, she turned her focus back on him as a whole, waiting for his answer.

"My name is Poe. Poe Dameron. You?" he said, taking a step in her direction. She pointed the broom at him and he stopped. Despite the calm, friendly tone his voice now had, a stark contrast to his sharp whispers before, she didn't trust him.

"What are you doing in our refrigerator Poe?" she asked, refusing to answer his question. She wasn't one to tell strangers personal information.

Poe eyed her up and down for a second before sighing and taking a step away from her.

"I'm hiding from the New Order," he told her and she frowned. "You don't know who that is," he said softly, more to himself as if he was remembering something. "Well I'm a pilot with the Resistance and I was chased by a group of New Order stormtroopers. I got away and decided to hide out on Lothal until the coast is clear."

"You decided to hide out in our refrigerator," Oria repeated, her eyebrow raising in his direction. He recognized her tone and shrugged.

"It was the only place I could find that was dark, out of the way, and low key," he explained. "I didn't realize someone would be down here so late at night."

"People are down here all hours of the day," she told him, abandoning the broom and walking back over to the crate she'd set on the sorting table.

He didn't seem to be a threat to her, and she'd be in major trouble if she was caught not doing any work.

She heard him walk up behind her but she kept her eyes on her hands, sorting the small fruits into bags to be shipped into town and trying to ignore the rubbing on her palms.

"You didn't tell me your name," Poe finally said, his voice quieter as he realized she was just about as dangerous to him as he was to her.

"You shouldn't stay here," she told him, avoiding the question again. "I'll finish this shipment tonight, but someone else will be in here tomorrow morning and I can't guarantee they'll be as understanding as I am."

"I can't return to my ship until I know it's safe," Poe said and Oria tried to hide her excitement and continue to seem uninterested.

Inside she was squirming. A ship? As in one of the ships she'd seen fly overhead with cargo for the town port? This man was a pilot! The thought of that was new to her; she'd never met someone who wasn't a slave or in the farming trade. He seemed so exotic to her, she wanted to pound him with questions.

But questions were dangerous. It was better if she knew as little about him as possible. They were both safer that way.

"Is there somewhere else where I'll be safe and out of sight?" he asked and she tried to think as she worked.

"I'm only familiar with the homestead," she admitted. "But if you go out past the sancor fields, there should be tree coverage you can hide out in."

The man blew out a large breath of air in relief, and then winced and doubled over. Scowling, Oria looked down and noticed the blood at his side. How had she not noticed it before?

"What happened?" she asked and he looked down before clenching his teeth.

"I think one of the locals thought I was a wild animal. He had good blaster aim," he said with a forced smile and she frowned at how casual he tried to make it.

"Do things like this happen to you a lot then?" she asked as she walked over and got down on her knees, prodding the wound through his jumpsuit.

"Occasionally," he said with a nod and a chuckle at his own joke. "It's not unusual to find myself being shot at." He hissed in pain as her fingers touched tender skin and she pulled away quickly.

"You must live an interesting life," Oria said before standing up. Their faces were close, his nose practically touching her forehead, and she froze before taking a step back. "I think I have a medical kit out in the hallway. Nothing major, but hopefully it'll get things cleaned up a bit."

She was almost to the door when she heard him quietly say "Thank you."

She paused and smiled to herself before opening the door and heading out to the main room of the refrigerator.

Luckily for her, everyone was spread out in different sorting rooms, so it was easy to grab the first aid kit from the shelf and head back to the gorgon room without being noticed.

Walking over to where he was, she skidded to a stop when she saw he'd unzipped his orange jumpsuit and pulled it down to his waist revealing a sweaty grey undershirt that did nothing to hide his muscles.

"I uh… um…" she stuttered, suddenly feeling the temperature rise.

It was hard to deny the attractiveness of the man in front of her. Adding the fact that he was unfamiliar to her added another level of thrill to his presence.

She needed to get this done quickly, for both their sakes.

Avoiding his gaze and dropping back down to her knees, she pushed his shirt up so the wound was visible. The wound was more like a burn; a vicious, dark red circle on his side, blood slowly dripping out and surrounding the hole to make it look ghastly.

Although the herders had blasters, Oria was unfamiliar with how to treat a wound caused by them. Was there a bullet? Was there something inside him that needed to be removed?

She had a brief thought that maybe the blast had gone all the way through him, but a glance around to his back told her that hadn't happened.

Deciding her lacking knowledge would have to do, she figured her best bet was to treat it as a normal cut for now, and hope he got better care soon.

Shuffling through the first aid kit, she finally found the disinfecting spray, cloth bandages and medical adhesive.

"I have to warn you, this may sting," she said as she opened the disinfecting spray and applied it to the wound.

He hissed and she felt his muscles tighten.

"Sorry," she said but he shook his head wordlessly, indicating she had nothing to apologize for.

Using the silence to her advantage, she pulled out a cloth bandage and taped it to his side, letting go of his shirt and standing up.

"You may not want to stick around here long," she told him, pointing at the covered injury. "I don't know proper care for a blaster wound, so I may have done something wrong."

"I'm sure it's fine," he said with a reassuring smile, all evidence of pain gone. Then he looked down at her hands. "You have your own injuries to tend to," he pointed out.

"Oh, they're fine," she replied, subconsciously hiding her hands in her sleeves. "Just a little rough from working in the fields today."

As they talked, he carefully slid his jumpsuit back up over his arms and started zipping it up.

"You work in the fields during the day and in here at night?" he asked before scoffing. "That doesn't sound very exciting."

"I don't think exciting is ever used to describe how a slave lives," she told him with a teasing smile.

His head shot up and their eyes locked. From his surprised reaction, it was obvious he hadn't known she was a slave. Perhaps he'd never even met a slave before. Oria suddenly felt self-conscious. Maybe he had slaves of his own, and wouldn't want to associate with her now that he knew.

Trying to cover the awkwardness, she turned and walked back over to the crate. She'd only filled four bags, and each crate could fill at least twelve. She'd have to work double time to pick up the slack.

"So do I finally get to know your name?" he asked and she looked at him with a smile and a blush.

He was looking at her intensely, like no man had ever looked at her before. Everyone in the homestead had known her since she was a child. Poe looked at her like she was filled with mystery. It was new to her.

"Oria," she told him and he smiled, repeating the name. "Oria Morvoni."

She reached for a pile of gorgon stalks, hissing in a breath when her raw hands hit the prickly parts

A hand closed over hers and she looked up to see Poe looking at her sympathetically.

"Let me help," he told her, and when she snubbed her nose and opened her mouth to argue, he cut her off with a chuckle. "Don't be so stubborn. It's the least I could do to repay you for not squishing me with your broom."

She blushed at his teasing and conceded with a nod, stepping out of the way so he could have access to the crate.

He looked down at the strange fruits, pondering them in silence before sighing.

"What exactly am I supposed to do?" he finally asked and now it was her turn to chuckle.

"Alright, each of these crates holds twenty-five pounds of gorgon fruit. They need to be sorted through and the bad ones tossed. The good ones will be divided into two pound bags over there for shipping into town."

"How do you know if they're bad?" he asked, frowning as he looked between two different fruits in his hands.

The situation was foolish, and despite all that had gone on that day, Oria couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Leaning over the table, she pulled two fruits from the crate and held them up to him.

"This one is good. It's got a nice purple color and the stalk is a very lush green-"

"What does 'lush green' mean?" Poe cut her off and in response she shook the healthy fruit in his face. "Okay, okay. So what's a bad fruit?"

"This one." She held up the fruit in her other hand and he winced at the smell. "See how it's all bruised? That's bad. And the stalk is starting to turn white. White stalks are bad."

She tossed it over her shoulder, where it landed perfectly in the waste bin.

"Hey! Nice aim!" Poe exclaimed and she blushed, but otherwise ignored the compliment.

The two lapsed into silence, both shuffling through the crate. With Poe's help, Oria could go at a slower pace, holding the fruits gently and keeping her hands from hurting more than they already did. Occasionally he would ask Oria's opinion on a fruit, but for the most part they focused on their work.

"How many of these do you have to do?" Poe asked when they'd started working on their fourteenth crate.

"I'm not entirely sure, which is why we need to be careful," she said, glancing up at the door as she spoke. "We don't usually work at this hour, so I'm not sure when they'll come to tell me I'm done. Typically, it's a 12-hour day, with a pace of six crates an hour."

"Well at least we're making good time," Poe joked as he tossed a bad fruit over Oria's head, watching as it landed just shy of the bin. "So is… I mean, as a... "he stumbled over his words and Oria stopped to look up at him.

"A slave? You can say it," she told him gently, realizing he felt uncomfortable using the term.

"As a slave, is this what you do every day?" he asked before his eyes went wide. "I don't mean that as an insult," he added quickly. "I just mean… I mean I guess I'm not very familiar with this stuff."

"They don't have slaves where you come from?" Oria asked, genuinely surprised. She'd assumed every planet had slaves. Who did the work?

"No, slavery's been outlawed in the Republic. Has been for years; since before I was born."

Oria mulled this over, frowning in contemplation.

No slavery? Such places existed outside of Lothal?

The thought of living in a place like that, being free and never having to work for a master again, made Oria's heart soar. To never feel the slave herder's lashes against your skin. To never be reprimanded by Master Trevyon. What would it be like to not fear the possibility of being sold? Of being torn from the only ones you've ever considered family?

"What's it like?" she asked, feeling her excitement bubble over into her voice. "The Republic. These planets without slavery. What are they like?"

Poe laughed at her enthusiasm, finishing up a crate and walking over to bring down a fresh one.

"I haven't really thought about it in comparison to a planet with slavery before," he informed her. "But I guess it's nice."

"Nice?" she asked, frowning. That's all he had to say? "Who does the work? What are the people like? Is everyone equal?"

"Everyone is absolutely _not_ equal," he told her with a roll of his eyes. She was hurt before she picked up that he was rolling his eyes at the unequal people, not her. "We have droids that do a lot of labor, but people also have different jobs and tasks they do day-to-day."

He paused to carry a pile of bad gorgon fruits over to the bin, picking up random ones he'd chucked on the floor as he went.

When he returned, he got a few fruits organized before speaking again.

"Each planet is so different, it's hard to categorize them in a here versus there way," he told her. "But each planet is as incredible as the next." He paused. "Except Tattooine. That place is so hot and filled with shady characters, it's not worth your time."

He grinned at her expectantly, but she was too riled up with everything else to pick up on his teasing comment.

"Someday, I'd like to see another planet," Oria told him. Then she gasped when a metallic thud echoed from outside the door. "They're coming, quick. Hide!"

Before he could comprehend what was happening, she'd shoved both her hands against his chest, pushing him backwards off his feet. He toppled to the ground with a grunt, his hands clutching his blaster wound, and she winced at the way his rough jumpsuit had scraped against her skin.

Hoping he scrambled out of way in time, Oria took his place in front of the crate, trying to act casual.

"Oria!" a woman's voice called. Relaxing visibly, Oria took in a deep breath.

They were safe.

"Yes Rasha?" she asked, dropping the fruit from her hands as the older woman approached.

"They've called us for the night. Now come on, no one here deserves a meal more than you do. Poor girl, working in the fields and the refrigerator on the same day."

The smaller, older woman continued to mumble about Oria's woes as the two women turned and headed out the door and to the main room.

Hoping Rasha didn't notice, Oria turned and stole one last look in Poe's direction. He stayed hidden, for which she was pleased. However, part of her had wished for a better goodbye than the one they'd gotten.

What a strange turn of events. Never in her wildest dreams could Oria have imagined she'd meet a stranger - a non-slave - and that he'd be a pilot! Her mind soared and she felt giddy all over.

A real actual pilot. She'd gotten to spend a few hours with an actual pilot.

And a handsome one at that.

Despite trying to push _those_ thoughts aside, her mind wouldn't be swayed. Poe Dameron was handsome, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't sad their time together had been cut short.

Still, he needed help for his wound, and if she was caught with him, she'd be severely punished.

This was better for both of them.

* * *

 _Well? Thanks so much everyone for the reviews on the last chapter! I'm glad you all seem to be enjoying it so far! Comment below and let me know what think now that they've met!_


	4. Chapter 4

Dreams of flying through the sky filled Oria's head all night, and when she was woken the next morning to begin preparing for the day, she yawned with exhaustion.

Even pretend flying was draining! She couldn't imagine what Poe went through legitimately _in_ a ship.

However, she could imagine plenty of other things revolving around the mysterious Poe Dameron. As she got ready for her day, she wondered what time he'd left the refrigerator. As she waited in line for her breakfast cakes, she wondered if he'd been able to escape the planet without getting shot again. As she took her tray and settled into a seat, she wondered what planet he'd chosen to land on next.

"Morning!" Vicka shouted, setting her tray down roughly and plopping in the seat next to Oria. "How was the refrigerator?"

For one brief moment, Oria debated telling the young girl about the pilot, but then thought better of it. She knew Vicka wouldn't tell anyone, but it was still too dangerous.

No, only Oria could know about the homestead's elusive visitor.

"It was alright," she settled on answering instead. "Much colder than the fields."

"I would be too cold," Vicka said with a dramatic shiver of her entire body.

"No fields for you today," Maayv said, sitting down across from them. Oria sighed dramatically with happiness.

"Oh, bummer," Vicka pouted and Oria hugged the younger girl with a chuckle.

"The fields are for you, not me," she spoke into the smaller girl's hair. "My hands aren't used to the tough labor you have to do every day. I'm better off in the cold refrigerator."

"But we had so much fun yesterday!" Vicka whined, but all three of them grew silent as a slave herder walked by.

"That one makes me uncomfortable," Maayv said once he was out of earshot. "The way he eyes you young girls. It gives me chills."

"Careful Maayv," Oria warned quietly. "You don't want to wind up shackled."

Slaves who disobeyed were taken out to the center of the homestead and shackled to a large pillar for four days and nights. Oria had never had it happen to herself, but she'd seen plenty of others who had.

Being shackled to the pole was embarrassing. Everyone could see you there and they all knew you were being punished for a serious infraction.

Most slave incidents were dealt with more subtly. Whippings and lashings were given out on a daily basis to anyone who acted up, but shackling was saved for the most serious of occurrences.

Talking badly about a herder was definitely qualified as serious.

"Anyway," Maayv said, pulling the conversation back. "Master Trevyon wants you back in the refrigerator."

"Ahhh gorgon fruits, my favorite," Oria said sarcastically, leaning over to bump her elbow against Vicka. "Aren't you jealous now?"

* * *

Readjusting her head scarf, Oria sighed and walked into the gorgon fruit sorting room.

It was surreal to think she'd had such an exciting night here just a few hours before. Over there was where she'd grabbed the broom when she heard Poe shuffling. And there was the crate they'd left unfinished when her shift had ended. And there was Poe's foot-

She froze, looking at the foot that was attached to an orange jumpered leg, disappearing behind a pile of crates.

"Poe!" She gasped, dashing behind the crates and dropping to his side on the floor.

His face was pale, almost white, and he had sweat dripping from his forehead. He heard her approach and reached his hands up, but the rest of him stayed still, his eyes closed.

"Poe, what have you done?" she whispered, looking him over. Reaching her hand up to touch his forehead, she sighed with relief.

He didn't have a fever, for which she thanked those above. A fever meant infection, which she wouldn't be able to treat on her own. His symptoms seemed more likely that he was dehydrated, an easy fix.

Moving as quickly as she dared, she hurried into the main room and grabbed a pail of water and a ladle, trying to act nonchalant as she slipped back inside.

"Here," she said, sitting down and pulling his arms up until his back was propped against her chest. Lifting the ladle to his mouth, she tipped it slowly, watching as the water poured over his lips, some of it dribbling down his chin.

He coughed, waking up a bit at the touch of the cool water.

As she poured another ladle-full into his mouth, her other hand wrapped around to brush the damp curls away from her forehead gently.

She hummed softly as she poured a third ladle, watching for any other signs of revival.

His legs moved first, slowly shifting from side to side as he came to. She smiled when his eyelids fluttered, finally opening as hazel gazed into green.

"Oria," he said softly and she smiled wider, finding herself getting lost in his eyes yet again. How could she not, when flecks of green swirled with the amber so elegantly?

"I thought for a second I'd lost you," she told him and he squeezed his eyes shut, his hand lifting to press against his forehead.

"Wha- what happened?" he asked, eyes still closed.

"I was hoping you could tell me," she said, scooping out another ladle of water. "I came in and found you on the floor, passed out."

"I don't really remember," he said, finally opening his eyes and looking around the room. He grunted and then pushed off the floor, rising from her lap and slowly standing up.

Oria lept to her feet, ready to catch him if he fell, although she knew she wouldn't be able to actually do anything if he did; he definitely weighed more than she could hold.

"I was going to leave when it got dark and late enough, but I got a splitting headache and decided to rest for a bit first.'

"You must have been dehydrated," she told him, walking up and taking his face in both her hands so she could inspect him closer.

The color was returning to his face, and under her intense scrutiny his cheeks reddened slightly.

"Any headache now?" she asked as she looked at his eyes, trying to focus on his pupils and not the depths she could get trapped in.

"No, I think I'm good," he told her. "A bit dazed, but good."

"Well, you gave me a terrifying start to my morning," she scolded with a smile, dropping the ladle and walking over to the sorting table. She couldn't waste any more time that morning, or she'd be in trouble for sure.

"Sorry," he said, walking up next to her and grabbing a piece of fruit before jumping up to sit on the table beside her. She smiled at his actions before quickly replacing it with a frown.

"You should be resting," she told him with a nod to the floor where he'd been lying. "Or even better, you should be gone! If they find you here, you'll be killed for sure."

"I've dealt with worse," he tossed with a smirk and she sighed.

No doubt he had.

"Still Poe, I could get in trouble for helping you," she said. Concern crossed her features as the realization came over her. She could be in serious trouble; definitely the kind of trouble that resulted in being shackled, if not worse.

Not expecting this change in her mood, Poe's eyebrows shot up and he set the fruit down, turning serious as well.

"Hey," Poe said softly, pulling her to look at him. "As soon as it's dark out, I'm gone, I swear. You've done so much for me, and the last thing I'd want to do is cause you trouble."

Instead of responding to his comment, Oria reached for another fruit and the two fell into a slightly tense, mostly comfortable silence.

* * *

As the day drew to a close, Oria had to admit she'd never had that much fun working in the refrigerator before.

After the awkwardness of their initial day's conversation wore off, things had gotten more amicable between the two, for which Oria was grateful.

Poe was entertaining to work with, and she certainly had a hard time keeping quiet at his jokes. The last thing they needed was someone walking in and discovering him, but as he juggled three gorgon fruits and made ridiculous faces, Oria had to bite her arm to keep from laughing out loud.

"You're going to re-injure yourself," she hissed, but he just winked in response, making her stomach flutter.

She'd never felt this way around a man before. Sure, she didn't know Poe Dameron very well, but he was new and exotic and exciting… what more could a 23-year-old slave want?

She knew the other women in the homestead - especially the much older, married ones - would accuse her of acting ridiculous and naive, but she didn't care. Honestly, spending this time with Poe would probably end up being the most thrilling thing she ever experienced in her life, and she didn't want to take that for granted. Slavery wasn't exactly a thrilling way to live, but in the past day, In the past twenty-odd hours, Oria had had more fun that she'd ever thought possible for one person to have.

It was a shame this fun time for her was coming to an end. If only he didn't have to leave. If; or if only she wasn't stuck here.

"I wish you could take me with you," she told him and he froze, holding an empty crate he was about to stack on the pile and not making eye contact. "Sorry, I didn't mea- I don't want to guilt- I just meant..." she backtracked awkwardly, feeling embarrassed that she'd spoken her wish out loud.

She knew he couldn't. There was the fact that he was a hideaway (and she was pretty sure he was a _wanted_ hideaway at that), added to the fact that she was bound by law as property to Master Trevyon. If Poe even _wanted_ to take her with him, he'd still have to find a way to pay for her, and she'd never expect him to spend that kind of money on a girl he barely knew, even if she had saved his life.

"My ship's only got one seat," he told her after a few moments of silence had passed and she felt awkward. "And although _I_ wouldn't mind it, it would be a long trip sitting on my lap." He was obviously trying to make light of it, but she knew she'd made things uncomfortable.

"I should probably go out there before they come in looking for me," she said, glancing at the door. She still had a few minutes until the end of day bell rung, but she could find something in the main room to keep her occupied and help her leave the tension-filled gorgon fruit room.

"Yeah, right…" Poe dragged out, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck.

Taking a deep breath, Oria turned and looked at him, realizing this would be the last time she'd seen him; and she'd ruined it. Still, now was the time to be focused, not awkward.

"Stay for at least another five hours. Everyone should be in bed by then," she told him, taking a few steps in his direction. "I don't know where you've stowed your ship, but once you're out past the sancor fields, in the treeline, you should be safe."

Taking another deep breath, she bucked up the little courage she had and leaned forward, placing a firm kiss on his cheek. The skin there was warm and she felt her lips tingle.

Pulling away before she made things even more awkward than she already had, she gave him a tight smile and turned to head out.

His hand caught her wrist, making her pause before turning to look back at him.

"Thank you Oria Morvoni," he said softly, and she could tell from his facial expression that he meant it sincerely. "For everything. I'll never forget this."

"Be safe," she told him, too unsure to say anything else. He winked again.

"Always am," he said cockily, letting go of her wrist and bringing his arm up in a salute. She scoffed with a shake of her head before continuing to the door.

She didn't look back. She was too afraid that if she did, she'd beg him to change him mind and take her with him anyway.

* * *

Walking with the group of slaves from the refrigerator to the hall, Oria felt her stomach grumble.

The slaves were only fed twice a day, and normally that was fine for her, but today she'd worked up an appetite fooling around with Poe in the gorgon fruit room. They'd each stolen a fruit to eat, but it hadn't tide her over and now she was starving.

And if she was starving, she could only imagine how Poe Dameron felt. He'd been stuck in the refrigerator for an entire day, and one could only eat so many gorgon fruits and be satisfied.

Poe had told her he had space rations in his pockets, but she still briefly debated sneaking him some food tonight, just to make sure he was in top form before he left. Surely that would be okay…

No, she shook her head with a sigh. It was dangerous to sneak around the homestead after dark, and she'd get in trouble if she was found wandering into the refrigerator after hours without permission. Besides, Poe said he had enough food to fill himself up. He'd be fine.

Still, the small thought that she could see him one last time before he left gave her stomach a flutter and she smiled to herself as she stood in line, waiting for her dinner. She knew it was infatuation that pulled her to him, and nothing more, but it didn't keep her from wanting to risk one last glance. One final conversation...

"Wonder what's going on," Maayv said behind her, pulling Oria's attention from thoughts of the pilot back to the present.

More slave herders were in the hall than usual, wandering around and stopping to talk to slaves. That action in itself was unusual - slaves and herders normally didn't communicate unless punishments or orders were being given out - but it was the figures walking with them that really stood out.

Stark white, smooth armor covered every piece of their bodies, and harsh white helmets covered their heads. The only thing that stood out was a pair of hollow, pitch black eyes that didn't seem human.

Oria had never seen people like this before. She wondered if they _were_ human. Did the suits have anyone inside them at all?

"What do you suppose that's about?" another woman whispered in front of them and Oria felt panic flow over her body like ice water.

What if they were here for Poe? What if these were members of that First Order group he'd mentioned? The ones he was hiding from?

Trying to convince herself she was being foolish and making assumptions, she forced a shrug and turned to grab her serving.

"Who knows," she told the women, trying to act like she didn't care. "Maybe they're here to buy slaves; I wouldn't put it past Mast-"

She cut off mid-sentence as two figures passed her. They paused, their emotionless helmets looking in her direction and making her stomach squirm.

"Careful," Maayv whispered once the two strangers had turned and continued on their way. "Others have been whipped for less."

Oria stayed quiet in response, mentally beating herself over her sudden outburst. Maayv was right, words like that were dangerous.

The two women got their food and sat down quietly, still uncomfortable about the earlier situation. However, a quick glance around the hall told Oria they weren't alone. It seemed as if none of the slaves were talking. Everyone ate in silence, unless they were speaking to one of the herders.

 _I hope they don't come over_ , Oria thought to herself, and it was almost as if the strange white figure had heard her. He said something to one of the herders and then the two of them started making their way in their direction.

Oria held her breath, releasing it when they stopped at a table next to her's, questioning the three male slaves that were eating there.

The silence in the room was deafening, and Oria cupped her hands over her ears to try and drown it out.

Why was everyone so afraid to talk? Why couldn't they go about their business like normal? What were they so scared of?

"You two," one of the slave herders said, catching Oria off guard. She recognized him as one of the men who manned the male slaves' quarters. "You both came from the refrigerator, yes?"

"Yes sir," Maayv said, speaking for both.

"Did either of you see anything suspicious?"

The question was vague and Oria tossed it around before deciding clarification wasn't worthy of punishment.

"Suspicious as in…?" she trailed off, hoping they'd elaborate.

Apparently taking her question to mean she hadn't seen anything unusual, they turned and continued on to the next table.

Their absence was almost immediately filled by Maayv's son Yoron. At fifteen, it wasn't unusual for him to be more energized than the rest of the slaves at the end of the day, but tonight he was practically bouncing on his feet.

"Did you hear? They're looking for an escaped pilot," he whispered as if it was the most interesting thing he'd heard all day.

Oria's stomach dropped.

"Is he dangerous?" Maayv asked, and her question fed her son's excitement.

"Yeah!" he burst out before his mother quickly shushed him. He looked around with a clenched jaw before continuing. "He escaped and is on the run. They said he's armed and dangerous."

So it was true, they _were_ looking for Poe as she'd initially suspected. She tried not to groan at the thought of the pilot, currently huddled up in the gorgon fruit room, unaware his capture was looming ever nearer. Any second now, one of these men could come knocking down the door and capture him. Would they shackle him to the pole, or was a worse fate awaiting him with the First Order?

Her stomach fell even more when she remembered what she'd told him.

Five hours. She'd told him to wait five hours before leaving. If it weren't for her, he might have dashed away while everyone was at dinner, and thus escaped undetected. But instead he was waiting until she'd told him the coast was clear. It would be all her fault if he was found.

Oria jumped when a hand grabbed her arm tightly. Looking down, she realized it was Maayv, and that Yoron had already left their table to return to his own.

"What's wrong?" Maayv whispered harshly and Oria looked up a her, fear in her eyes.

"Please don't ask me that," she whispered back, and the older woman's eyebrows rose in response. "Let it be my burden to bear."

"Oria you haven't…" Maayv trailed off, but at the girl's look, she knew it was true.

"I'd do it again," she said, both defiant and scared as she rose from her seat. Maayv's hand shot out, gripping her arm again and pulling her down so her ear was level with the older woman's lips.

"Don't be so foolish as to think actions like these won't lead to punishments," she scolded. "Consider your own fate before you go to the aid of a stranger. Would he do the same for you, a slave?"

Oria refused to acknowledge the words, pulling her arm free and walking out of the hall and into the dark.

In the open air, she grasped at her stomach and took deep breaths, trying to get her head on straight.

She was in so much danger, she didn't know what to do with herself first.

"Are you alright, Oria?" a woman's voice asked, but she didn't take the time to see who had asked her. She simply nodded her head and waved her hand absentmindedly.

"Yes, just a little queasy. I think I need a lie down," she responded, taking off in the direction of the unmarried women's bunk.

Inside, she collapsed on the edge of the long row bed, resting her chin in her hands as she thought over the situation.

Maayv was right, going to Poe's aid was a serious infraction. Even what she'd done so far could land her a few days being shackled to the pole. Was this man worth it? Would this pilot do the same for her if their roles were reversed and she was the one on the run?

She wanted to think he would, and part of her said she was right. Still, another voice in her head told her she was foolish and naive. They barely knew each other, and the odds of him risking his life for hers were slim.

Still, she'd been raised to always do the right thing, no matter what it was. Alerting Poe to the arrival of the First Order was right, she knew it. She needed to give him a chance to escape before they found him.

Pulling her head scarf tighter around her head, mostly as an act to calm her nerves and keep her identity more discreet, she rose from the bed and trotted back out the door.

* * *

 _Leave me a review and let me know what you think! Thank you so much to sarahmichellegellarfan1, Jess, MistyForestQueen and feel. that. fire for reviewing the chapters so far, and thanks to everyone that's favorited and followed! You guys rock!_


	5. Chapter 5

Walking out of the women's bunk, Oria kept her head scarf tight around her face. Looking around, she tried to act as casually as possible as she headed in the direction of the refrigerator.

The sun had already set, casting the homestead into an eerie glow of shadows against the buildings. It was these shadows that Oria used to her advantage, ducking between them as she made her way to the other end of the homestead.

No one spoke to her as she walked, although most slaves would still be eating inside the hall. She'd been worried she might bump into slave herders or those strange white figures, but it seemed as if they were all in the hall as well. Save for a few stragglers returning from the fields, the streets were empty, making Oria's task easier.

Finally reaching the exterior of the refrigerator, she squished her body up against the wall and froze, waiting. Waiting until she knew no one would confront her or see her in action.

Inside, the refrigerator was dead silent. She heaved the metal door closed behind her and tiptoed down the main steps, pausing after each and making sure no other sounds were heard.

Her heart pulsed fast - faster than she'd ever felt it beat in her entire life. Her adrenaline was high and she wondered if anyone had ever burst from their nerves vibrating inside their body so much.

Reaching the bottom step, she dashed across the main room and to the gorgon fruit door, opening it and ducking inside quickly in the off chance someone decided to come in the front door after her.

"Poe!" she whispered frantically, and in a heartbeat he was there at her side, gripping her shoulders tightly.

"What is it?" he asked, all traces of his good humor gone as concern laced across his features. For a moment all Oria wanted to do was bury herself in his arms and feel the comfort that radiated from him.

But she couldn't; not when they had more important things on their plates.

"They've come for you," she told him, and even though his expression told her he knew exactly who 'they' were, she elaborated anyway. "The figures in white armor. The ones with the First Order. They've been questioning everyone in the hall. I don't know how long it'll be until they search here but you have to get ou-"

He cut her off, shaking her body once and making her close her mouth, looking up at him. When he saw the worry in her eyes, his expression softened, but remained firm.

"What'll they do if they find _you_ here?" he asked and she just shook her head wordlessly, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes as she realized he was right. Maayv was right. Everyone was right. If they found her here, aiding the escaped pilot, she would be punished; punished more severely than she ever had.

Reality was settling into her mind and she began to understand just how foolish she was being. Why hadn't she understood it before, when it wasn't too late to mind her place as a slave?

Poe sighed, letting go of her one arm to rub his hand down his face.

"You shouldn't have come Oria," he told her and she nodded, sniffling as the tears started to streak down her cheeks.

The adrenaline was dissipating, being replaced quickly with intense fear.

Still, she knew the fate that awaited her. Whippings or being shackled to the pole, she could accept the punishments for her actions.

What would happen to Poe? His punishment seemed more terrifying than hers if they were caught, and she couldn't handle the idea of leaving him to that fate.

"You have to get out of here before they find you," she told him, taking a deep breath and reaching up to wipe her watering eyes. Then she squared her shoulders and looked up at him. "I'll help you get out."

"Oria…" he started but she shook her head, turning and heading out the door, glancing in every direction before motioning for him to follow.

She'd done so much already, surely finishing the job wouldn't do any more harm? If he was caught in here, all the refrigerator slaves would be questioned, and Oria wouldn't be able to bear the thought of Maayv and the others being punished for something she had done.

No, she had to get him out and far away from here before he was found.

"Come on," she told him, trotting up the main stairs and peeking out the windows, seeing only black. "I'll get you through the main areas and out to the edge of the sancor fields. If you go through them, you'll come to the treeline and you'll be safe."

"You don't have to do this," Poe told her, and she heard an unfamiliar click. Frowning, she turned to see he was holding his blaster, ready to shoot if need be.

"Yes I do," she said, wondering who she was trying to convince more: him or herself.

Deciding the coast was clear, she opened the main door… and was immediately dragged out into the street as someone grabbed her head scarf.

On instinct, she screamed, wiggling as hands got ahold of her arms and threw her to the ground.

"Stealing from Master Trevyon, are you?" a harsh voice said close to her ear and she cried out as a foot stepped on her back, digging her face into the hard ground.

"Slaves aren't supposed to be out after dark, except from the sleeping huts to the hall, you know that," another said as he pulled her roughly to her feet. "Were you helping the escaped pilot?"

His breath smelled like rotten Mouge cheese and she winced, trying to hold her breath as his face moved closer to hers.

"No, I was… I was trying to look at the fruit stores," she lied, hoping it would keep the herders from checking inside, where she assumed Poe was still up against the wall in hiding. "I think I may have miscounted my crates on accident and I wanted to fix them."

"Thieves aren't tolerated here," the first man said, not buying her lie.

Before she had time to say anything, her wrists were grabbed and she was dragged forward, stumbling and falling to the ground at the sudden movement.

One of the men tugged her back up, never breaking stride, and they continued on as if she'd never fallen.

Oria's heart raced as she was paraded past a group of slaves, up to Master Trevyon's office.

"Caught this one stealing from the refrigerator," one of the herders said, shoving her forward as they entered. She winced as her stomach made contact with the wooden chair in front of her.

Treyvon was seated at his desk, flipping through ledgers as he looked over the day's recorded stock. As they walked in, he'd dropped the flimsy and looked up at them with a face that obviously said he was annoyed at being interrupted.

His eyes dropped to Oria's and she looked away, too ashamed to look at him.

"Oria, Oria, Oria," Master Trevyon said, not moving from his chair as he looked at her with a shake of his head. "I never expected this kind of action from you."

Now she had to look at him; she had to tell him this was all a mistake.

"Master please I-"

"Silence," he said in a monotone voice, which was almost more terrifying than if he'd yelled. She shuddered and dropped her head, awaiting what he had to say.

Rising from his seat, he walked over and tucked a finger under her chin, lifting her face up to look at him.

"Stealing from my supply? Whatever would compel you to do that? Do I not feed you enough? Are you that ungrateful for all that I give you?"

"No master," she said softly. She was smart enough to know that only agreement could save her now.

"Do I owe you anything?"

"No master," she said again, her skin crawling with anticipation as to her punishment. She wasn't going to get out of this situation with a simple slap on the wrist.

"So what gives you the right to sneak into my refrigerator after hours and steal food from me? If we don't have that fruit to sell, we don't get paid. And if we don't get paid, you slaves are the ones who suffer, do you understand?"

"Yes sir," she told him, wishing she could look away. He was acting so calm, it was only making her nerves rise more. Any second she expected him to lash out, either with words or with actions. She'd seen him knock down slaves in the hall for merely getting in his way; he could certainly do the same to Oria.

"I never expected you to cause me this kind of trouble, Oria," he told her, finally dropping her chin and walking back over to his desk. "Today's brought me more trouble than I'd care to deal with in a week, first with this escaped Resistance pilot, and now with you."

He stopped and turned to look at her, crossing his arms.

Behind her, a floorboard creaked and she jumped, turning to look at the source of the noise.

One of the white-armored figures from before was walking towards them, appearing from the shadows. He kept his masked face turned to her as he walked over to join Master Trevyon.

"Your actions couldn't be connected to our hidden friend, could they?" her master said and Oria prayed with all the strength in her that her face gave nothing away.

"No master," she told him, trying not to protest his accusation too much. "I heard of the pilot in the hall, but I have not seen him. I was merely in the refrigerator for my own needs."

Master Trevyon held up his hand to silence her before turning to the armored man.

"This seems to have nothing to do with you, but you may check the refrigerator just in case. Cysko, go show him where it is."

One of the herders nodded and turned, leading the guest outside.

Alone with Master Trevyon, Oria felt her hands grow clammy as she awaited what was to be done. She had to hope Poe had gotten out right after she was captured; if she worried about him now, she'd only give herself away.

"Actions such as yours have to go punished Oria. First infraction or not, I can't have you proving to the others that they can steal some fruit and not be punished appropriately."

She closed her eyes, waiting for him to say the words.

"Two days in shackles," Master Trevyon ordered, before dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

"Sir. Sir please…" she begged, but her requests fell on deaf ears as the remaining herder walked back in the office and grabbed her, pulling her out.

Being shackled to the pole was embarrassing. Everyone could see you there, and they all knew you had done something awful enough to be publicly punished. The slaves at the homestead were united, but when it came to someone being shackled to the pole, that camaraderie faded. No one wanted to be spotted supporting a rule-breaker.

When you were shackled to the pole, you were alone.

The shackles were clamped tightly around her wrists and she was let go, the sudden loss of support causing her to drop down and slam her face into the permacrete pillar. Her cheek stung and she knew it had gotten scuffed hard against the rough surface. The dampness on her cheek a second later told her it was bleeding.

The chain attached to the shackles was tightened, pulling her arms up straight against her head. She breathed in through her nose, already finding the position uncomfortable.

"Two days," the herder reminded her harshly.

As the footsteps retreated, she sighed and rotated her body so she was facing out, her back to the pole.

It was late enough that no one else was out, and for that she was relieved. It was embarrassing to be seen shackled to the pole, but it was even more embarrassing to be seen paraded to your doom.

Glancing up at the sky, she sighed. Only one of the two moons was visible; the second covered with dark clouds that brought a small glimmer of joy to an otherwise gloomy situation.

"Rain," she whispered before closing her eyes and trying to imagine herself back in her bed in the hut.

She wouldn't be able to sleep once the water droplets started falling, so she'd better get some sleep now.

* * *

Despite the night seeming to go on forever, the morning came too soon for Oria. Her prediction of rain had fallen short, with just a few droplets landing on her face and tongue. The day ahead promised to be hot, and she wasn't looking forward to spending it in direct sunlight and no way to hydrate.

As they walked about to begin their day, the other slaves kept their distance, but she could hear the whispers as they realized someone was shackled to the pole.

Shock and pity Each emotion was conveyed in their tone as they passed her, looking her over and wondering what she'd done to deserve such a serious punishment. None of them acknowledged her personally, because it wasn't smart to associate with a slave while punishment was being dealt.

Vicka and Maayv were the worst.

Maayv hovered back by the far wall, pity on her face mixed with an "I told you so" look that Oria tried her best to ignore.

Vickal froze when she saw her, and then began to approach the pole, eyes wide.

"Oria…" she started, but an elder cut her off and pulled her away before she got in trouble too. Oria would hate it if the little girl was chained up next to her for showing sympathy to a punished slave. She hated being treated like a pariah; she'd hate bringing punishment to others more.

By noon, the thirst was setting in. She'd been smart enough to stand with her mouth open when the rain fell in the early morning, but the drops weren't enough to keep her thirst satisfied throughout the day.

Multiple times she felt her head get muddled and her eyesight grow spotty. Squeezing them shut, she tried to focus on anything else.

She thought of Poe and when she had found him passed out from dehydration. She'd been able to nurse him back to health quickly, and the same could be done with her when this was over. She thought of him laying there on the ground, and how she had lifted each ladle of water to his lips.

Thinking of water made her groan and she tried to focus on anything else.

She was trying not to think about the hunger. Although she'd just eaten before she was shackled the night prior, by now her stomach was long ago empty. Her whole body felt like an open pit that longed to be filled in. It growled in protest and she sighed, trying to focus on anything else.

Night fell, and day one was over.

The daylight had been unbearable, making her sweat through her old, dusty clothes. She had been dressed to stay warm in the cool refrigerator, not survive the heat of the sun. It was like her day in the fields all over again, only this time she couldn't move to wipe the sweat from her brow.

While daytime had been sweltering, night time was the opposite. Her sweat-damp clothes helped the cool breeze chill her to the bone. Her teeth chattered and she longed for the warmth of a blanket.

A few hours after the sun fell and the other slaves had retired to their huts for the night, the clouds burst and rain fell again. Gasping with weak pleasure, Oria tilted her head back, mouth open, and let the droplets fall sporadically onto her tongue. The downpour was harder than the first night, and she felt life slowly spring back into her with each drop.

She wanted more. Needed more. But for now the small droplets would have to do.

"Oria."

Her name was spoken so softly, she didn't hear it at first. As it was repeated, she slowly began to hear the sounds, but her brain couldn't find the strength to register it was her name.

A shadow appeared in front of her as two hands grasped either side of her face. Warm skin touched cold and she jolted at the contact.

"Are you alright?"

She frowned at the question, not sure what the words meant. Something cool touched her lips and immediately a wave of water flowed into her mouth. It was much more than the rain droplets had been and she took a few hard gulps before sputtering and choking on the liquid.

The man was speaking again, but all Oria could make out were the words 'role reversal', and then the source of the water was removed from her mouth.

"Come on, I'm getting you out," the voice said, and this time her brain was strong enough that she heard the words clearly.

She recognized that voice, despite only hearing it for the first time three days prior. Had it really only been three days ago? It seemed as if she'd been shackled to the pole for weeks.

As the water she'd drank slowly flowed through her body, she felt her senses come back to her like a force of strength. Sighing, she closed her eyes and then opened them, focusing on the man in front of her.

"Poe?" she asked, not even sure if the man existed. That time in the refrigerator seemed so long ago, part of her thought she'd made it up.

"I'm here kid," he said and she felt his hands grip her wrists, searching for the shackles. "Damn," he mumbled before she heard him pull his blaster from its holster. "Oria, cover your face."

He pulled her body to his and she buried herself in his shoulder, her angle slightly awkward because her arms were still shackled together behind her, stretched out straight in the direction of the pole uncomfortably. Then with a shot of the blaster the chain went slack.

"Quick, someone probably heard that," Poe said, pushing her away and quickly pulling the chain through the rings of her shackles. Then he grabbed her hand before she had time to acknowledge she was free, dragging her off through the streets of the homestead.

Their feet sloshed as they dashed through the puddles, ignoring the rain as it fell around them.

The adrenaline of the moment pulled Oria from what remained of her haze and she gripped Poe's hand tighter as he pulled her along. She was still very weak, and she didn't know how long she could keep up with his pace.

They hadn't gone far when the distinct sounds of the slave herders heading in their direction echoed through the night.

"They're coming," she told him, her voice harsh and raspy with disuse. "They'll catch us."

"Come on!" he shouted, not caring about secrecy anymore. He tugged harder, making her push herself to go faster. She was so weak, and he was moving so quickly.

Oria had never experienced anything like this before. She'd been raised to be the perfect slave; to always do your tasks perfectly, never talk back to your commanders, and always respect your master. Since meeting Poe Dameron, she'd broken all the rules.

Despite the terrifying situation, her adrenaline pulsed and she felt like laughing. She'd been half dead a few minutes prior, but now she'd never felt this alive in her entire life. Excitement flowed through her, increasing with each step she took. The herders could be heard behind them, a stampede of men making their way through the homestead.

Briefly, Oria wondered if the armored men looking for Poe were with them, but she pushed that thought aside. Nothing she could do now if they were.

Then suddenly, they were outside the wall, the air almost feeling fresher as they continued to run. Soon they hit the fields, dodging through ackleberry stalks as they ran in the direction of the sancor fields.

"What kind of weapons do they have?" Poe shouted, turning his head so she would hear him. He still hadn't dropped her hand and the contact between them felt comforting to her. It kept her going; it pushed her to not stop, despite feeling so weak.

"Blasters, but they won't shoot. I'm too valuable to Master Trevyon for them to kill me unless it's a last resort. They'll try to capture us," she told him, feeling relief at that. This was all fun and games, but eventually they'd get caught. Then it was back to the shackles for her, perhaps for a longer period of time. Slaves who attempted to run away were a disgrace to their master, but worth too much to punish with death.

The comfort at that thought was dashed a minute later when a blaster was shot, the blast whizzing as it went past them and hit a cluster of stalks ahead of them.

"Shit," Poe said, somehow finding it in him to go faster. "Looks like they've decided it's a last resort."

Fear replaced the excitement as Oria realized he was right. She was escaping, and it looked like she was succeeding. Trevyon wouldn't want her dead, but he'd prefer her dead over gone.

Was she willing to risk death for this pilot?

No, she corrected her thoughts. This had long ago stopped being about the man holding her hand. This was about her, and her disobedience. Was she willing to risk death for that?

Faces filled her mind: Vicka and Maayv starring back at her. Could she leave, knowing they'd still be stuck and she would never be able to see them again? They were her family; could she give them up in exchange for her freedom?

"Poe," she started to say, wondering how she would tell him she wanted to stop running. This was too much. It was all too much for her now, and she didn't know if she could handle it. It was too late to have things go back to how they had been before the pilot's arrival, but perhaps she could surrender and plead with Master Trevyon for leniency in her behalf. Despite her actions being drastic, it was the first time she'd ever acted out; he must have some understanding for that.

"We're almost there, Oria!" Poe shouted, cutting off her thoughts.

 _Almost where?_ she wanted to ask, but suddenly it hit her.

They had long passed the sancor fields and were heading in the direction of the trees.

They were really escaping.

And then she remembered. She still had the chip implanted in her somewhere. The one that tracked her whereabouts and was rumored to detonate if a slave went past the boundaries of the homestead.

"Poe I can't!" she cried, trying to tug her arm lose while simultaneously digging her heels in the dirt. He clenched his hand tighter, continuing to pull her forward. "Poe! I have to stop! I can't go anymore!"

He ignored her, continuing to drag them through the field to what he thought was their freedom.

Any second now they would pass over the property line and her chip would explode, killing her instantly. She would be blasted into little pieces and Poe would be left standing there, shocked at what had unexpectedly happened to his companion.

In a few seconds, she would be done for.

"Poe, I have to stop," she said again, and this time he looked back at her.

"Don't be crazy!" he shouted with an extra strong tug of her arm. "They'll kill you; you know they will."

 _Would it really be that bad?_ Oria thought. She liked to think it wouldn't, but deep down she knew the pilot was right. Despite her hopes for leniency, Trevyon and the herders would punish her severely. While she naively assumed it would be with the shackles, their previous attempt to stop her with a blaster shot proved otherwise.

Stay or go. Either way, she risked death. Freedom was worth the risk.

As they ran, she closed her eyes, trusting Poe to keep her from running into anything. Her mind tuned everything out, coming to peace with her life and the world around her. It had been a good life, certainly much better than the average slave's, filled with love and happiness. If she died right now, she would be happy with how things had gone for her.

The thought briefly crossed her mind that maybe the implants _didn't_ self-destruct, but she shoved that thought aside. Better to be pleasantly surprised than to have her bubble burst.

The pounding of their feet mixed with the pounding of her heartbeat, each step signalling one step closer to impending doom. Deep breaths echoed in her eardrums as she tried to relax her body and soul.

Poe said something but Oria didn't hear it, her thoughts focused on the situation at hand.

And then suddenly, it was over. Reality came slamming back as they both suddenly skidded to a stop, Oria bumping into Poe roughly, opening her eyes on impact.

He dropped her hand and grabbed the smooth metal in front of him, climbing it quickly. Frowning, Oria's eyes followed him up, eyebrows rising as she realized what she was looking at.

It was a ship. His ship to be exact.

She'd never seen a ship before. It reminded her of the harvesting equipment used in the other fields; the equipment the men drove. It's shiny metallic paint glimmered, despite the lack of light from the moons.

The ship's engine roared to life, bringing her attention back to the present situation.

As her excitement simmered, she realized they were a decent way from the fields. She gasped and quickly roamed her hands over her body, checking that everything was intact. Confirming that it was, she giggled maniacally and jumped in the air once, hugging herself tightly.

She was free! There was no detonator in her body, nothing to result in her explosion. She'd made it past the barrier of the homestead and, as long as she wasn't caught again, she was a free woman.

"Hey! Come on! You can celebrate later," Poe shouted, climbing back out of the hatch and offering his hand down to her. She walked over to the wing of the ship and eyed it cautiously before holding up her arm to take his hand and let him help her up.

Behind them, a small droid's head popped out, whirring and beeping a greeting which Oria didn't understand.

"I know Beebee-Ate, run everything through the pre-flight check. We're going," Poe said as he pulled Oria into the cockpit with him. "Uh… things are gonna be a little tight," he told her and she decided that was an understatement.

Her memory flashed back to a couple nights prior when she'd asked him if he could take her with him. He had responded that his ship fit one person, and now she wondered how they would make this work. He hadn't been lying, there was barely enough room for both of them standing up.

"Come on, we gotta hurry," he said, sitting down in the seat and practically dragging her down to sit on his lap.

Oria squirmed, feeling uncomfortable at the intimacy of their situation, but Poe didn't seem to notice. He'd pulled on his flight helmet and was reaching his arms around her to do his part in prepping for takeoff.

Buttons covered every side of the cockpit, and lights blinked all around her. The ship roared to life and Oria felt her stomach turn at the thought of being inside it when it rose into the air.

"Hold on," Poe said loudly, and Oria wasn't sure if it was specifically for her, or just something he said before every takeoff in general.

Behind them, Beebee-Ate screeched shrilly, causing Oria to look around Poe's shoulder and back at the little droid. Poe didn't seem bothered by the outburst however, and continued to hit buttons, his arms occasionally jolting her as he reached around.

The ship rumbled and shook more and Oria held onto Poe's seat, her fingers turning white as she clenched the seat tighter on either side of his shoulders.

"Shields up," Poe said outloud and the droid chirped once. Oria was about to ask him what his statement meant when the trees beside them parted and a group of five herders burst into the clearing.

"Poe!" Oria cried, unable to say anything else. The pilot glanced in the direction of their company and then pulled a lever before reaching for a handle.

"I got it Beebee-Ate, you continue with takeoff."

Something rocked the shop roughly and Oria watched as a large blast shot in the direction of the herders. She assumed it had come from below the ship, but she wasn't entirely sure where.

And then they were in the air. She looked down and couldn't help the maniacal giggle that escaped her mouth when she saw the herders had been thrown off their feet by the blast. Confused and obviously surprised to see the ship taking off, they scrambled to their feet in a last ditch attempt to shoot the ship down.

Poe laughed once, loud and strong, at their actions, before hitting a few buttons to make the ship take off into the sky, leaving the herders in the dust.

* * *

 _Wow. I just want to take a second to thank everyone who's read, followed, favorited or reviewed this story so far. I've been getting a lot of notifications on my phone over the last few days and I just really appreciate that people seem to be enjoying this story as much as I enjoy writing it. That means so much to me._

 _So yeah, thank you to Heaven In A Rage, Eliza, SpiritedMichelle87, Jess, MistyForestQueen, feel. that. fire and a **very** special thank you to sarahmichellegellarfan1, who's reviewed every chapter._

 _Thanks also to everyone who's followed this story:_

 _Alace2, Alibird1, Alissiel, Deserah, Elle MaGee, GVCatullus, Gorbian, GreenJasper, Hamers, Heaven In A Rage, HogwartsJaguar91, IAmTheStars, IndigoSeas, Jesus' girl 4ever, JunJunyil, KSVamp, LiliAnn Jackson, Meaghannss, MissFlynnie, MissS. D1998, Miss Singing in the Rain, MistyForestQueen, Nikk0SuperKeAiButt0ns, . Thought, PrincessOfSilence, Rustyflo, StressedPenny, Sugarbaby99, TheJewellersHand, Tindra44, chaotic-curls, cormier. km, feel. that. fire, flurryandfloat, marcelineandbonnie, sarahmichellegellarfan1, and starlight-x-A-x_

 _And everyone who's favorited this story:_

 _Alace2, Amran, Danielle KJ, Deserah, HogwartsJaguar91, groovygroot, pandaloveshugs15, and sarahmichellegellarfan1_

 _You guys all rock!_


	6. Chapter 6

They flew in silence for a while, Poe focused on getting them away and Oria focused on everything else around them.

And then suddenly she broke, overcome with every emotion with what had just occurred.

"I'm free," she whispered, making Poe smirk at her. Then she abruptly burst into simultaneous tears and laughter, jostling around in his lap but not caring.

She had been close - so close to being killed, she could barely believe it. How she managed to escape, she'd never fully understand, but for now it was enough that she was free. Free from Master Trevyon; free from the slave herders; free from having to work in the refrigerator ever again.

Her outburst continued and Poe eyed her warily. Behind them, Beebee-Ate chattered inquisitively and Oria sniffled, shaking her head despite not understanding what he said.

"I'm fine, just give me a minute," she told them both, inhaling deeply and trying to find tranquility.

"It's okay," Poe finally told her. "It's not the first time a woman's been overcome with emotion in my presence." His joke made her roll her eyes, but it helped her emotions get in check as well, so she was grateful. "Jokes aside, you've dealt with a lot in the past few hours, but it's over now. You're free."

"Free," she repeated in a whisper before smiling and turning to look back out the glass hatch around them. Her movement meant she missed Poe's amused smile in her direction.

Space was cold, that's the first thing she realized once she'd settled down, and she was glad she had been dressed for the refrigerator. As it was, she still pulled her head scarf tighter around her face, wishing she had a thicker one on.

"I've never seen anything like this," she said, her voice sounding odd after the brief silence in the cockpit. As it was, she felt wrong speaking in a place as dark, deep and vast as the space around them.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing, right?" Poe asked, flipping some switches as he spoke. She wanted to ask him what every single one of them did, but she didn't want to be a pain. She'd already caused him enough trouble as it was.

"Are these all planets?" she asked instead, looking above them at the bright lights that filled the blackness.

"Some are," he told her. "Some are stars, some are suns. Most are uninhabitable."

His fingers continued to hit buttons as he checked his radar screen.

"What's that?" Oria asked, pointing over his shoulder to the image on the screen. BB-8's beeps echoed through the cockpit, his words foreign to her. Poe however, seemed to understand perfectly, and he answered the droid's question first.

"I know buddy, but we'll need to refuel if we plan to get back to base." He pressed a button. "That's my radar map," he said, turning his attention to Oria. "There's a pretty massive settlement on the other side of Lothal where we can land and refuel. Plus, if your first aid is as shoddy as you said, I should probably get this wound checked by a real doctor. I think the running flared it up."

Despite his teasing tone, Oria couldn't help but blush. It was weird having such a normal conversation with someone after the ordeal they'd been through. It was almost as if everything had never happened.

"Will we be far away from the homestead?" she asked, feeling her stomach churn at the thought of that place. What would happen to her if she was found? Would Trevyon still attempt to kill her, or would she just be severely punished and returned to her long days of labor?

"Far away from the homestead," Poe repeated reassuringly as he began preparing for descent. Oria sighed with relief and leaned back in his lap, reaching up to absentmindedly pull at her head covering.

As her fingers touched the fabric, she froze.

"Poe, we can't," she said suddenly, her heart falling as she realized how much trouble she was causing him. "I'm dressed as a Lothal slave. I have shackles on my wrists. As soon as we're spotted I'll be recaptured and sent back to Master Trevyon."

Poe looked at her, but it was obvious he wasn't focusing on her face and instead was mulling over the situation. A moment passed before he sighed, acknowledging that he had no ideas.

"Well what do we do? I have to land. I may be a good pilot, but even I can't make it back to base on this amount of fuel. Can we say I bought you?" he asked and she almost scoffed at how unfamiliar he was with how slavery worked.

"You don't have my registration codes," she told him. "All legally obtained slaves have them."

Poe was silent for a minute, contemplating the situation and it made Oria nervous. He had helped her escape, but he didn't owe her anything. There was no reason for him to risk his life to save her's. If his ship needed the proper maintenance in order to return to his base, Oria knew her illegal freedom wouldn't get in his way.

"Beebee-Ate," Poe called suddenly, making her jump, "Set your course to head for the Expansion Region. We'll land on Kiros."

Oria's eyebrows rose. Was Poe honestly putting her safety before his own? She didn't realize people could think like that. The slaves she lived with were loving and kind, but none would ever jump to the defense of another and risk receiving harsh punishment. The support system of the homestead only went so far before it was every man for himself.

"Kiros should be far enough away from Lothal that your clothes won't be recognized. We'll land on the outskirts and I'll get these shackles off of you before we refuel."

Not knowing enough about this new planet to argue, Oria nodded in agreement to the plan, hoping Poe was right.

* * *

"Watch your head," Poe said, bringing her attention back to the cockpit. She ducked as he reached above them and flipped a switch, causing the whole ship to rumble.

"Landing wheels," he told her, in answer to her concerned expression. "Trust me, landing is way better than takeoff. If you made it through that, you can make it through this."

She nodded, looking over his shoulder at Beebee-Ate, smiling as she saw his small head spin around in circles as he prepared for landing.

"A little different than Lothal, huh?" Poe stated as the ship broke the atmosphere and a lush canopy of trees came into view.

Oria's eyebrows rose as she took in their new surroundings. Sure, Lothal had trees and vegetation, but nothing as healthy-looking as this planet. She could practically see the moisture dripping from the tree leaves as they passed them.

"Beebee-Ate are we set to land?" Poe asked and the droid beeped. "Got it."

The ship began a sharper descent and Oria spotted a break in the tree tops. She assumed that's where they were heading, and when Poe brought the ship to a stop and moved it into a vertical descent, her assumptions were confirmed.

Suddenly feeling a queasiness in her stomach, Oria closed her eyes, gripping the seat tighter.

"I guess I was wrong," Poe teased a few seconds later, and she jumped when his hand rubbed up and down her back once. "It's almost over."

She nodded wordlessly, eyes still closed, and then squeaked when the ship shuddered before coming to a standstill.

She sat there, deep breaths in and out, afraid to open her eyes and see more of the wobbly scenery around them.

"Hey Oria," Poe whispered in her ear after a few minutes had passed. "No rush, but when you're ready to let me up, it would be much appreciated."

Her eyes flew open and she flushed as deep scarlet as her pale face would let her, realizing the ship had been on solid ground for a good deal of time.

"Sorry," she mumbled quietly, stumbling to her feet in a quick attempt to get out of his way. Poe chuckled at her awkward movements, reaching above them to push the hatch open and allow a wave of fresh air to hit their skin.

Oria inhaled a deep breath, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. She had to get out of the ship.

"Poe," she said weakly, but he seemed to understand the meaning.

"Okay, okay hold on," he said, climbing onto the ship's wing and reaching out both hands to pull her out with him. When she was steadied on the wing, he jumped down and held up his hands, taking hold of her and swinging her down to land on solid ground.

She pulled herself from his grip and dashed away from the ship, only going a short distance before she dropped to her hands and knees and heaved. If it weren't for being shackled for so long, she would have lost all of the contents of her stomach. As it was, her stomach was empty, resulting in bile passing her lips.

Dry heaving a few times, she kept her eyes closed, trying to breath through her nose in an attempt to ease her stomach.

"You okay?" Poe's voice called from the distance and she mentally smirked. Apparently he drew the line at helping a girl when she was vomiting into the grass.

She stuck her arm up in the air, waving her hand around in a nonverbal response.

Finally feeling her stomach settle, she exhaled a deep breath and rocked back on her heels, reaching up to readjust her head covering. Her eyes slowly opened and she used the time to take in their surroundings.

They'd landed on what looked like a large pile of rock, and Oria was impressed he'd been able to find a flat enough place to fit the ship. To her left, the rock jutted up in the direction of the sky, a mountain of greyish-blue rubble, interspersed with bits of grass and flowers.

Sighing, she slowly stood to her feet, wobbling slightly as she steadied her footing. Rotating so she was facing the ship. She frowned at the absence of Poe.

He emerged from the rocks a few seconds later, obviously having found a cave amongst the rubble.

"Feeling better?" he asked, seeing her standing there. She nodded, reaching up to pat her forehead with the back of her hand as she walked over to join him. "At least I don't have to worry about you stealing my ship and leaving me behind," he joked.

"Sorry," she said, feeling a blush rise in her cheeks again. How embarrassing! He probably thought she was a fool, losing her stomach over something as simple as a landing.

"Don't worry about it. I guess landing takes some getting used to. If you knew how many of my fellow pilots had vomited after a rough landing, you'd lose all faith in the Resistance," he told her reassuringly and she smiled weakly.

"Seeing as I don't have much to go on in way of faith, I doubt I could lose much more," she told him and he paused before bursting into laughter and slapping her on the back, making her wobble again.

BB-8 beeped and whirred behind them, pulling the humans' attentions away from each other.

"Sorry buddy, I don't trust your balance on these rocks," Poe said, walking away from Oria and over to the ship, where the little droid was spinning his head in a frustrating manner. "I'd hate to see you fall off the edge."

The droid made some unusual noises and Oria couldn't help but chortle in response. Poe threw her a look before turning back to BB-8, his hands on his hips.

"Well fine, if you think you can handle it, by all means, go right ahead."

He swept his arms in a dramatic bow and the droid beeped once before he disappeared into the ship, popping out underneath. He whirred inquisitively as he rolled carefully around the rock floor, checking out his surroundings, obviously excited.

Oria watched him until Poe walked up and pulled her attention to him.

"Alright, let's see about these shackles. Beebee-Ate!" Poe shouted before leading Oria into the cave he'd come out from before.

The little droid came rolling in behind them, whistling lightly as it moved. Despite the exhaustion she felt, Oria couldn't help but smile at the sweet little droid. It was apparent he was happy to finally be free of the ship's confinements, something he hadn't been able to do on Lothal.

Oria was only used to the service droids around the plantation. They were technically above the slaves in rank, and took it upon themselves to make sure the slaves knew it.

BB-8 was different, and she was quickly growing to like him.

As the droid rolled to a stop beside them, Poe took Oria's arms and held them out so her wrists were in front of BB-8. He seemed to understand the task at hand and opened a compartment in his front, flipping out a small flame torch.

"Oh, no!" Oria said, startled. She tried to pull her arms away but Poe held fast, pulling her attention to his face.

"You gotta trust me," he said softly, attempting to calm her. "We would never do anything to hurt you. Besides, Beebee-Ate's a pro."

Oria raised a skeptical eyebrow but sighed and closed her eyes, tensing up as she waited.

"It's not Beebee-Ate I'm hesitant about," she grumbled and she heard Poe chuckle, but otherwise ignore her comment. They both knew she was lying anyway; she and Poe had grown a bond and it wouldn't have been that way if she didn't trust him.

Her wrists felt warm, and then as soon as it started, they were cold again. Opening her eyes slowly, nervous that she'd catch him just as he was cutting the metal, she was surprised to see the shackles were gone from her arms.

"Told you," Poe said with a smirk at her reaction. The droid beeped and Poe laughed. "If she knew you buddy, she'd understand," he said before winking at Oria and turning to where he'd set down his pack.

Alone with the droid, Oria knelt down so that she was eye level with him.

"Thank you Beebee-Ate," she said, before leaning forward and placing a kiss on its metal head. The action felt silly, and her embarrassment only increased when the droid began whirring and spinning in a circle.

"Hey, I'm the one who rescued you," Poe called, sounding annoyed. Realizing he was teasing, Oria blushed, standing to turn to him as he walked back over.

"Alright, I've got things set up over there if you wanted to try and sleep; I'm sure you need rest."

"And you?" she asked, frowning.

"I'm gonna go look for some firewood," he said, thrusting his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the opening to the cave. "The temperature's gonna drop pretty quickly once it gets dark."

Realizing that meant he'd be leaving her alone, Oria tried not to let her alarm show. She didn't want him thinking she was a baby, but honestly she'd never truly been alone in her whole life. Even at night, the slaves at the plantation slept in a long bed next to each other, heavy breathing and snores becoming a comfort to her as she fell asleep each night.

She didn't want him to go, but Oria knew she couldn't tell him that. She chose to nod in silent agreement but his look told her she was an open book.

"What's wrong?" he asked, crossing his arms as he waited. It wasn't a demanding position, more inquisitive than anything, and she sighed before giving in.

"It feels silly to admit, but I've never slept alone before," she told him, growing flustered when his eyebrows rose in surprise at her admittance. "No," she said quickly, realizing what he was assuming. "I just mean… Unmarried slaves are divided up, men and women. Each gender gets a hut to sleep in, and each hut has beds that stretch from wall to wall. We all share, huddling together when it's cold and spreading apart when it's warm. But I've never actually slept in a bed by myself before."

Poe sighed and she suddenly felt small. Naive. He thought she was ridiculous and unfamiliar with the outside world. She'd lived a sheltered life, she knew, but feeling him ridicule her for it hurt.

"It's fine, I'll be fine," she said quickly, still flustered. She turned from him and headed over to where he'd set up a makeshift sleeping area with supplies from the ship.

Her back to him, mostly so he couldn't see how anxious she was about sleeping alone, she started to get things settled for her to sleep. She was certainly exhausted, so maybe she wouldn't notice she was alone.

"Oria," he said softly. Then he grumbled something and she heard footsteps as he walked up behind her.

The thick blanket beneath her shifted as he collapsed beside her.

"Just until you fall asleep," he said, laying backwards and looking up at the ceiling of the cave.

Feeling simultaneously relieved and guilty that he was staying, she curled up on her side, her back brushing up against his side.

When he didn't move away at the touch, she didn't either, glad for any form of comfort in the chilly cave.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and hoped sleep came to her sooner rather than later. She enjoyed Poe laying next to her, but not at the expense of his opinion of her falling.

* * *

A rustling noise woke her a few hours later. Rolling her head over to her side, she saw Poe was no longer next to her, although that part of the blanket was still somewhat warm to the touch. Sitting up slowly, she squinted against the darkness, trying to spot the sound of the noise.

"Poe?" she asked softly, her voice barely rising above a whisper. Even as she spoke his name, she knew it wasn't him. She might not have known him well, but she knew it wasn't in the pilot's nature to sneak around like that, even if he thought she was asleep. She knew he'd come strutting in, a stack of wood in his arms as he began to make a fire.

No, the culprit behind the noise definitely wasn't him.

The rustling continued, along with the faint sound of whispers, and Oria instinctively pulled her head covering tighter around her face. Her body tensed and she tried to keep the panic at bay.

Something was in the cave with her, and from the sound of it, it was more than one.

What should she do? The only exit from the cave was currently blocked by the intruders. Hoping that maybe they hadn't heard her, and didn't know the cave was occupied, Oria sunk down as close to the ground as she could get, trying to disappear behind outcroppings of rock.

After a few minutes, the rustling quieted and she wondered if the intruders had gone. Lifting her head slowly, she peeked up over the rock.

Her scream echoed off the walls as she came face-to-face with a white face and pitch black eyes.

A large stick swung through the air, the whistle it made the last sound Oria heard before everything went black.

* * *

 _Wow, you guys are awesome! So many reviews and favorites and follows last chapter, it means so much to me! Seriously, you guys are the best! Let me know what you think of this chapter!_


	7. Chapter 7

Rough hands shook her awake, long fingernails digging into the skin on her shoulders. Oria groaned and opened her left eye, then her right, before quickly shutting them again.

Her head ached and the light in the room only made the pain increase.

"Who are you?" a rich, male voice asked, and the hands shook her again. "I said, who are you? Speak!"

"My name is Oria," she forced the words past her lips, her eyes still closed.

"And, Miss Oria, what are you doing in our cave, on our planet?"

She didn't have answers to these questions, so Oria groaned and hoped they would realize she was in no condition to talk.

After a long break of silence, her curiosity got the better of her. Oria slowly opened her eyes again, letting them acclimate to the light in the room.

The man in front of her was an unfamiliar species, not that Oria had a wide experience with more than the human slaves she worked with. His orange skin had a sheen to it, making it shimmer against the lights and stand out in stark contrast to the large white patches around his blue eyes. Instead of hair, two large tentacles protruded from his head, with the top ends of the head tails jutting up to the sky and the bottom halves reaching down to his waist.

"I am High Council Leader Turk, of the planet Kiros," he said when he saw her looking at him. Out of habit, Oria felt herself bob at his title. Slaves were expected to bow to anyone of importance, and a High Council Leader was certainly someone important.

Another man, of similar look and build, walked into the room and whispered something in the Leader's ear. The Leader's face remained blank of emotion, but he nodded once before turning to another man in the shadows.

"Take the girl to a room and have someone tend to her head wound," he ordered before turning and following the first man out.

The remaining man grabbed Oria's arm roughly, pulling her out another door and down a dimly lit hallway.

Used to being ordered around, Oria stayed silent at first, letting him pull her down the hallway and up a flight of stairs. However, as they continued on their walk, she reminded herself that she wasn't a slave anymore, and speaking before being spoken to was within her rights now. She had just gotten up the courage to ask the man where they were going when he opened a door and thrust her unceremoniously inside.

Oria knew a more independent woman would have objected to the abuse, but it was something she was used to and her conscience told her that despite her previous thoughts, now was the time to stay quiet.

Alone in the room, she stared at the door before looking around and taking it all in. Not that there was much to take in. She might as well have been in a dungeon, for all the light that was coming in through the sliver of a window in the corner. A musty cot sat underneath it and Oria could smell the dust from where she stood.

Sighing, she turned back to the door and put her ear up to it, wondering if she would be able to hear anyone in the hallway outside.

Who were these things? Why had they kidnapped her and what were they going to do with her? Her stomach rolled at the brief thought of being taken back into slavery. Had fate really freed her, only to enslave her again? Could the galaxy really be that cruel? Her taste of the outside world had been brief, but she had still tasted it; still wanted to experience it more. She wasn't ready to give that all up so easily.

As things started to settle, she thought of Poe. How long had it been since she was taken from the cave? Had he come back and found her gone? Was he looking for her?

A small part of her assumed no. Bringing her along had been extra baggage in the first place, and that would only continue since she was a runaway slave and for all he knew, she'd run away again. Why look for a girl who's disappearance made it seem as if she didn't want to be with him anymore? With her out of his hair, he'd easily be able to refuel and go on his way.

However, a larger part of her thought those assumptions were wrong. He had already proven that he held honor in the highest regard, both by rescuing her at the post, and by dragging her along to freedom. Hopefully he'd prove his honor again.

* * *

Food was delivered a few hours later, brought into the room by a girl roughly Oria's age. She looked similar to Leader Turk, except her simple brown robes were nowhere as elegant as his rich green ones.

When Oria heard the door scrape open, she sat up from where she had succumbed to lay on the bed. Seeing the girl, she hurried to meet her, eager to find out anything she could about her captors and what they planned to do with her.

"I'll come back to collect the tray when you're done," was all the girl said as she set the tray on the small table Oria hadn't noticed in the corner. At least she spoke Basic, a relief to Oria, since she didn't know any other languages.

"Please," Oria replied, stepping between the girl and the doorway. "What's going on?"

Obviously not expecting to be questioned, the girl froze, her eyes shifting around the room awkwardly as she reached up to stroke her left lekku nervously. Oria watched the motion, her eyes falling on the odd, tattooed design around the girl's left ring finger. Despite being small, the black ink was a stark contrast to her orange skin.

"Please don't ask me," the girl finally whispered, moving around Oria and heading to the door. "I'll be back to collect your tray."

Oria turned to look at the tray of food as the door shut loudly behind her. A plate was filled to overflowing with plump fruits she'd never seen but found visually appealing. Pulling the tray towards her, she lifted a round, green fruit to her mouth and slowly took a bite, still wary of what it was.

Juice flowed across her tongue and she smiled, closing her eyes with contentment.

At least they fed her well.

When she finished with the green fruit, Oria plucked an odd-shaped red one from the plate, placing it in her mouth and feeling a similar bliss. This went on and by the time the girl showed up again, the plate was empty and Oria's stomach was satisfied.

The other girl seemed to expect the interrogation this time, moving quickly to the tray in an attempt to be gone before Oria could speak the questions on her mind.

"What is going on?" Oria asked, reaching out and gently grabbing the girl's arm to stop her. "Please, can you tell me? I have no idea where I am and I'm terrified."

She wanted to tell the girl she was a slave, and so she wasn't used to any of this excitement, but the last thing she wanted was to be found out and locked up again. Or worse, returned to Master Trevyon in exchange for the reward he had possibly announced for her capture.

The girl shook her head at Oria's pleading tone, but this time she didn't seem uncomfortable, just agitated.

"You're worse than the charming one," was all she said before disappearing out the door.

Her words made Oria frown in contemplation. Could she perhaps be talking about Poe? Was he here too, locked in another room and wondering if she was safe? The pilot certainly was charming, and Oria could see him slathering it on if he thought it might help him gain freedom.

At that thought, her heart dropped.

If Poe was a prisoner too, who would rescue her?

* * *

After spending the day being treated like a prisoner, Oria was surprised when the girl appeared the next morning with a lavish gold robe draped over her arms. The fabric looked rich, similar to what the Leader had been wearing when Oria met him the day before. It was certainly nicer than the girl's, which made Oria frown. Why would they dress a prisoner in a nicer robe than the person taking care of her?

"Put this on," was all she said and Oria was quick to obey.

"Am I getting out of here?" she asked as she stripped out of her dirty slaves clothes, wishing she could wash her skin. The girl ignored her, instead holding the new robe out and helping her climb into it.

The bodice of the underdress was tight, flowing smoothly over her hips to the floor in vertical ruffles. It was the most gorgeous piece of clothing Oria had ever seen, and she felt too afraid to move, for fear of ruining it.

A thick-knit gold robe was slid over her shoulders. The belled sleeves nearly ate her hands and when the robe was settled down, Oria was saddened to see the majority of the gorgeous underdress was covered. While the underdress had been form-fitting and elegant, the robe was bulky and hid most of her body beneath the fabric.

"Not much we can do with your hair," the girl said, tugging the headscarf off roughly and letting Oria's auburn curls tumble down in a tangled mess. "I don't know how to work with hair." Looking up at the girl's head tails, Oria would have found the comment humorous if she wasn't so nervous about what would happen after she was deemed presentable.

After some finagling, the girl was able to pin the heap of hair on top of Oria's head in what could pass for a chignon. Reaching up to the sides of her face, Oria wrinkled her nose. Not wearing her headscarf felt foreign and uncomfortable. She felt insecure without it.

"Come on," the girl said, taking Oria's wrist and pulling her out the door and down the hallway.

"Where are we going?" Oria decided to ask this time, but the girl ignored her. They moved down the hall so quickly, Oria found she couldn't even take in the scenery around them as they walked.

And then they were back in the room she'd found herself in the day before. She spotted High Council Leader Turk, standing next to four men she'd never seen before. All of them were dressed nicely, and she began to wonder if maybe the girl who'd been assigned to her was a slave or a lowly servent. It seemed her robes were the outlier in the situation, not the Leader's.

Approaching footsteps to her left made Oria look up, and into the eyes of her traveling companion.

"Poe!" she cried happily, wanting to run to him but unable to pull her wrist from the girl's hand.

Poe seemed just as happy to see her, walking over and taking her shoulders, his eyes roaming her body as if to make sure she was in one piece.

"Are you alright?" he whispered as he pulled her in for a hug. Oria knew the move was meant to mask any response she had, but she still found herself sinking into his embrace. Poe was here, and she knew that if anyone could talk them out of this situation, it would be him. She was alright.

"Yes. Poe why aren't you accompanied by anyone?" she asked with a frown, suddenly realizing that he'd walked into the room alone. Was he not being held prisoner like herself? She was about to ask him if he'd come to rescue her, when Leader Turk cleared his throat.

"Commander Dameron," the Leader said, calling their attention to him. "I take it you were correct in thinking you knew our captive?"

"Yes sir," Poe said, stepping away from Oria to face the Leader.

"That'll be all Maizy," one of the other men said and the girl loosened her grip on Oria's wrist, turning and disappearing into the hallway as silently as she'd entered.

"And you said you are not married to this girl then," the Leader said and Oria looked between both men with a frown.

Married? Why would he think they were married?

"No sir," Poe said with a shake of his head. The Leader seemed to contemplate something before nodding.

"Come here girl," he said, indicating for Oria to step forward. She looked hesitantly at Poe, who nodded that she should listen. Deciding that was the best course of action, and accepting Poe's judgement, Oria stepped slowly in the Leader's direction. As soon as she stopped in front of the Leader, the other men strode forward, circling her like vultures and making her extremely uncomfortable. She felt like she was at a slave auction, awaiting the highest bidder.

"Good bone structure in the face," one of them said and another nodded.

"Yes, but look at her waist. So tiny. _Too_ tiny."

Self-consciously, Oria wrapped her arms around her waist in the front, crossing them and trying to turn and look at Poe. What was going on?

Poe seemed to be wondering the same thing, because he asked the question a minute later.

His words seemed to pull the Leader from his concentration and he chuckled, walking over and putting his arm around Poe's shoulders.

"Never you mind. Now come on, both of you. I think Maizy has a clean robe for you and then we'll give you a tour of the castle."

"But I just changed into this one…" Oria said slowly, confused. They were making her change again?

A flash of anger appeared in the Leader's eyes, but it was gone just as quickly as it came, and Oria wasn't even sure if she'd really seen it.

"That robe was a poor choice for a day spent walking around," he said, his voice void of any of the anger she had witnessed in his eyes.

The three of them walked down the hallway, coming to a stop at the same room she'd been held in the day before. While her other trips had made the room seem far from the main hall, now it seemed a short walk. A walk Oria was sure she could do on her own if the situation called for it.

"The Commander and I will wait for you out here," the Leader said and Oria looked to Poe again, not sure whether to do what the Leader said or not. The situation was confusing and uncomfortable.

He gave her a soft smile and nodded reassuringly.

"It's fine Oria," he told her, missing the glare the Leader sent his way in response. Oria cowered and Poe stepped forward, taking her hands. "It's fine," he repeated and she nodded, disappearing around the door and closing it.

Maizy wasn't there this time, and Oria struggled to remove the gorgeous gold robe and underdress from her body. It had glided on so easily, but coming off wasn't the same. After much gentle tugging and wiggling, it was off, pooling on the floor at her feet.

Looking at it for one remorseful second, Oria turned to the new outfit waiting for her.

It was similar to Maizy's, a simple brown robe that seemed as dreary as she felt. She wondered if it was tradition here for the men to dress more finely than the women; that certainly seemed to be the case where she and Maizy were concerned. Still, the outfit was nicer than her old slave's outfit.

Pulling it on, she tied everything into place, smoothing her hands over the front before looking around the room.

Her tattered clothes had been folded on a chair in the corner and she smiled thankfully when she saw her headscarf was there. Taking her hair out of its pinned bun, she covered it with the fabric and immediately felt relief.

It felt right.

Opting to keep it on - the women didn't have hair so how could they ciritcise her for covering her own - Oria took a moment to let her hands grip the headscarf, feeling the familiarity between her fingers.

When she walked back into the hallway, the two men looked up at her, Poe's face much more reassuring than the Leader's.

He scared Oria, although she couldn't quite put her finger on why. Maybe it was the way Maizy seemed to be treated as a slave girl, like she used to be. Or maybe it was the flashes of anger she thought she saw in his features when she or Poe said something.

Whatever the reason, she didn't like him, and she hoped after today she could steer clear of him. Hopefully she wouldn't have to; once Poe got the fuel he needed, they would be on their way.

"You two have actually come to our village at the perfect time," the Leader told them as they walked down the steps and out into the streets.

Around them, booths were set up, ribbons flying through the sky to decorate the temporary walls. Tables were filled with goods, lining the street, which was crowded with locals. Unfamiliar with crowds, Oria shrank back against Poe's arm, uncertain of the sight at hand. Would they be walking into the group of people? Or be steering clear? It seemed like a very claustrophobic situation.

"Why is that?" Poe asked the Leader after a pause, when he realized Oria wasn't going to speak at all.

"It's our festival to celebrate the lunar eclipse. It happens twice a year here, and each time is celebrated. Tonight there will be a party, where the men and women come together and dance."

Oria scrunched her nose at the way his tone suggested the two genders being together was unusual. Still, she didn't question him on the matter. Despite being free, Oria couldn't help but still feel wary of speaking without permission. She knew Poe wouldn't mind, but the Leader had made it obvious he was in charge and Oria didn't want to do anything to upset him.

Despite being free, being on Kiros certainly made her feel like she was right back on Lothal, under the watchful eye of Master Trevyon.

"Do you like pod racing?" the Leader asked and Oria jumped as Poe's head whipped around next to her, catching her off guard.

"Do I?" he asked, sounding as if that was the most ridiculous question. Oria didn't know what pod racing was, but it was obvious Poe was a fan. "You have pod racing here?"

The Leader laughed at his response.

"This afternoon is when the races are. You'll attend as my guest, of course."

Poe grinned wickedly, and Oria could practically feel the excitement coursing off of his body at the idea of seeing pod races. He turned and grabbed her attention, eager to share the emotion.

"You'll love it," he told her and the Leader cleared his throat uncomfortably, pulling the attention back to him.

"The women watch from a private room of course, which she is more than welcome to go and watch from."

The comment made Oria frown, once again finding his words suspicious, but Poe nodded, patting her shoulder.

"Races are so much fun to watch," he told her, side stepping to avoid two young boys chasing each other through the street. "When do they start?"

"We have a while. I'll show you through the main plaza and then we'll take her to the women's viewing room before we head over," the Leader said, waving to someone behind a booth.

Oria was a little put off that he seemed to have forgotten her name, but she didn't let it show. She'd assumed freedom would see her treated differently than she had as a slave, but that may have been wishful thinking on her part. Before she'd escaped, she'd assumed people on other planets lived as she had on Lothal. Maybe that was more true than she'd realized.

Turning her attention to the people around them - and trying to ignore the large amount of people passing by - she felt ignorant to admit that she couldn't tell the species' men apart from its women. Certainly, everyone around them seemed to be male, but that couldn't be correct. Could it?

No, there was no way she was the only female walking through the festival booths outside. And there was certainly no way all the children running around were male. She had to be missing something that set the genders apart, and that made her feel foolish.

Obviously her time with one human species on the homestead had affected her judgment. When they were alone later, perhaps she'd ask Poe to give her tips so she didn't insult their hosts.

The last thing she wanted to do was make the Leader dislike her more than he already seemed to.

* * *

 _Ah oh my gosh, thanks everyone SO. MUCH. for following and favoriting my story! I seriously thought I'd be the only one to read what I've written, so it means the world to me!_

 _A special thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far: Heaven In A Rage, SpiritedMichelle87, JunJunyil, MissFlynnie, Marmite-1, Alace2, Mrs. JohnReese, Eliza, Jess, MistyForestQueen, feel. that. fire, and sarahmichellegellarfan1 (who's reviewed **every** chapter!)_

 _You guys are the bomb. Thank you so much!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Ah sorry for the delay! Things have been cray! (that rhymed!)_

* * *

After a morning spent walking around with their host, Oria knew the outside world was much more involved than she'd ever imagined.

Even just the colors of the different plants on Kiros surprised her. On Lothal, most things were green or neutrals of yellow and tan. Here, she could look at a small square of vegetation and see more colors than she'd ever imagine.

And it wasn't just the plants that had her mouth open in permanent awe. Everything was new and it was overwhelming.

She silently thanked the beings above when the Leader informed them they were at the women's viewing room for the races. Although she didn't want to leave Poe's side and be among strangers, she was glad she could take a break from sightseeing.

"You'll have to tell me what you think afterwards," Poe told her, his excitement pumping up in anticipation of the races.

"I wish we were watching together…" Oria trailed off slowly, eyeing the Leader warily. "I don't like being around unfamiliar faces."

"Maybe you'll like them better than me," Poe joked before winking and turning to the Leader.

Taking a deep breath, Oria turned and headed into the women's viewing room, not quite sure what to expect.

And yet despite that uncertainty, she was still surprised to see all of them working. Everyone was spread out, doing some task or another. Some women were sewing, while others were folding piles of clothes. Another group was set up by a sink, cutting up food.

Oria quickly realized she'd been wrong before. Everyone in the village _had_ been male, because these women were very obviously female. Their faces were more elongated, and their features more delicate. Their robes were different too, and Oria mentally punched herself for not seeing that earlier. She was wearing the women's robes, which were obviously different than all the men around her.

Ignoring everyone else for now, Oria walked over to one of the walls and looked up, seeing a rectangular, mirror-like object hanging there. Only, instead of reflecting her back, it showed the speeders setting up for the race. A glance around made her realize a few of these things were spread out on every wall. They must be viewing screens, showing the race so they could watch while doing work.

Frowning, she leaned in, taking a closer look.

How odd. She wondered how they got the view of the race there. It looked so realistic, almost as if it was in miniature form inside.

"You must be new around here," a woman said, pulling Oria's attention away from the monitor screen. She turned to the sound of the voice and was startled to find a handful of the women waiting for her response.

"Yes," she said softly, reaching up to adjust her headscarf self-consciously. "My traveling companion and I stopped to refuel."

"Is your husband watching the race then?" another woman asked and Oria looked at her with a scowl before laughing in confusion. Why did everyone assume she and Poe were married?

"He's not my husband," she told them. At her statement, all of the women's eyebrows rose in varying degrees of shock. They looked at each other for an explanation, and a few even whispered.

"Where is your husband then?" a woman asked, but Oria ignored the question, still focusing on their reactions.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"A Togrutan woman is never seen in the company of a man who isn't her husband."

The women's attitudes seemed to shift, changing from shock to disgust. Oria wasn't sure what had made them turn on her, but she was eager to fix it.

"I'm actually not married," she told them, hoping they'd realize that she wasn't doing anything immoral.

The shock returned.

" _Not married?_ " one of the women asked, raising a hand to place on her chest as if she could hardly believe it. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-three," Oria told them, confusion evident on her face. What was going on?

"And when do women get married where you're from?"

Oria shrugged. "I suppose when they want to?" she ended up saying as more of a question than a statement.

Behind them, a woman quickly shuffled two younger girls to the other side of the room, as if she didn't want them to hear the conversation.

Slave relationships on Lothal were different than others, she knew, but they were still allowed to marry when and who they wanted. She assumed she could go on and never get married; there were no laws against it.

She was quickly beginning to realize that was not the case here.

"On Kiros, we are married at 16," a young girl said, proudly walking forward and holding out her left hand. There, on her ring finger was a tattoo similar to the one Maizy had.

A woman Oria assumed was the girl's mother walked forward and patted her daughter proudly on the shoulders before looking up at Oria.

"We are married to a man the Leader chooses when we turn 16. Man and wife are branded with a unique ring, and even after death, only when it is completely gone from the body is the marriage over."

"That's very romantic," she told them with a forced smile. In truth, she thought it would be hard to get married so young, especially to someone not of your choosing.

"The races are starting," a woman in the far corner of the room announced, and everyone's attention shifted to the screens, making Oria sigh with relief.

The interrogation was over. For now.

As they watched the racers go through pre-race checks, Oria's curiosity got the better of her. Wandering over to where the mother and daughter from earlier were sewing, she approached cautiously.

"Your customs are so interesting," she said, hoping they took it as a compliment. "I was wondering, how does the Leader pick who is to be your husband?"

"The one who asks," the mother said, running her fingers through her daughter's hair comfortingly. The daughter was sewing buttons on a robe and didn't look up as the older women spoke. "When the girl is ready to be wed, she is brought into a room and all eligible men are allowed to look her over. The Leader judges their feelings and the one he deems 'most in love' wins her hand."

Oria almost scoffed, but chose to stay quiet. Afterall, who was she to judge another culture's practices? She was sure other planets would find the idea of slavery as odd.

And the ways of Kiros were odd, Oria had to give them that. Still, the women seemed content with it, so she didn't argue.

"Tell me," she started, deciding to change the subject, "why do you watch the races in here? Aren't they going on not very far from her?"

"The men _gamble_ there," the daughter said, disgust dripping from her voice as she looked up to acknowledge Oria.

"Besides, our daily chores can't be done at the races, and we don't have enough time in the day to take a few hours off to go watch," the mother added. Having their fill of the odd outsider, the mother and daughter turned as one and walked off into the crowd, carrying their sewing with them.

Confused and alone, Oria frowned, turning her attention to the screens.

Suddenly she found herself wishing Poe was there.

* * *

Her wish came a few hours later, although not soon enough for her liking.

Following the race, which she didn't fully understand enough to appreciate, the women had all quickly left the room. One mentioned something about getting home before their husbands returned, and then they were all gone.

"I can take you back to your room," Maizy said, appearing beside her. Oria hadn't even seen her in the room; there had been so many other women around. "You'll need the time to get ready for the ball tonight."

"The ball?" Oria asked before remembering Leader Turk had mentioned it. At least that was something to look forward to!

The two walked silently back to the large building. _Was it a castle?_ Oria wondered. Maizy left her at the room, and that's when reality hit.

Tonight, after the ball, Oria would be sleeping here. Alone. If the women didn't approve of her traveling with a man who wasn't her husband, they certainly wouldn't approve of her sleeping next to one. Protocol dictated she sleep in this room alone, and that thought made her uncomfortable.

Ignoring it for now - she could deal with it later - she turned her attention to the gown that was hanging on the door of the empty closet.

A dark, turquoise blue in color, the taffeta jutted up in angular shapes at the neckline, providing maximum coverage while also looking quite stylish. The skirt fell to the floor, with similar angular shapes mirrored down in the other direction.

With no Maizy to help her, Oria struggled into the dress, shoving her front against a wall so she could easily fasten up the back by herself. She was glad the room was empty, because the noises of frustration she made as she completed this task were not lady-like.

Turning to the mirror, she unpinned the chignon on her head and sighed, eyeing her locks unappreciatively.

What was she supposed to do with them?

She'd only ever worn the headscarf over her hair, something she'd still done around Poe. Other than the bun Maizy had put it in, Poe hadn't seen her hair at all.

With that thought in mind, she ran a brush through the knotted strands until the oils began to shine. It was the healthiest her hair had looked in a long time and she smiled, turning to see it cascading down to her waist.

Looking back in the mirror, she stood back and vainly looked herself over for longer than necessary. She'd never worn an outfit like this, or had her hair down, or overall just looked as elegant as she did now.

Squealing giddily, she did a little hop and then shrieked when a knock sounded on the door.

The door flew open and Poe dashed in, blaster in his right hand. The sight made Oria jump and throw her hands up innocently on instinct. When he saw she was alone, he sighed and rolled his eyes, standing up straight and visibly relaxing.

"You scared me half to death," she announced as he put the safety on and returned his blaster to it's holster.

" _I_ scared _you_?" he asked, sounding agitated. "I heard you shriek and thought something was happening to you!"

Feeling guilty at scaring him, she crossed her arms and tried to change the subject.

"I don't think you're supposed to be in here," she informed him as BB-8 came rolling along through the open door. Realizing he'd left it open, Poe shut it and turned back, seeming to notice her clothes for the first time.

"Wow," he said, taking a step forward. "Don't you clean up nice?"

The phrase wasn't exactly a compliment, but none the less, Oria ducked her head at his words.

"I could say the same for you," she replied, unsure what else to add to the conversation.

Poe let out a laugh, walking over to sit on her bed.

"You're getting spunkier. Freedom's doing you well," he said with a wink.

Oria was saved from replying by BB-8 rolling over and looking up at her.

Despite the casual conversation, Poe was obviously too eager to talk about something else. Oria made him wait, turning to the droid with a smile.

"And where have you been? I feel like it's been days!"

The droid beeped and chirped, his optic eye shifting back and forth between the two of them. Confused at what he was saying, Oria frowned and looked at Poe.

"I told him to guard the ship while I went looking for you, just in case we had to make another speedy departure. I called him on the comm before the races and he was here when I got back," he said and the droid chirped excitedly.

"Well I'm glad to see you too," Oria said, assuming that's what the droid had said. Poe chuckled before turning back to the matter at hand, practically bursting at the seams.

"Speaking of the races, what did you think?" he blurted, unable to hold it any longer. "I've been waiting to ask you all night. Why weren't you at dinner?"

In truth, she'd been served dinner in her room, where she'd eaten alone. She'd assumed Poe had done the same, and so she was surprised to hear he'd eaten somewhere in public.

"The races were fun," she chose to answer his first question. "Poe listen-"

"Weren't they?" he cut her off, his hands clenching as he thought about it. "Those pods go so fast, it's crazy! I've always wanted to get behind one, but they say a human's reflexes aren't fast enough to handle the speed. If I could get my hands on one though, I swear I'd-"

"Poe!" she said firmly, and as loudly as she dared. He stopped mid sentence and looked at her, surprised by her outburst.

In truth, she was surprised at her outburst as well. Feeling embarrassed at the sudden undivided attention, her face flushed and she took a deep breath before continuing.

"I don't like it here," she admitted and Poe frowned. He opened his mouth but Oria found the courage inside her to shush him. "Please," she said and he sighed and nodded, allowing her to continue. "I don't think they treat the women here well, and it makes me nervous."

"How so?" he asked and she tried not to roll her eyes. So much for letting her speak.

"Well first, the Leader only ever referred to me as 'her' or 'the girl,' never by my name. And the women aren't allowed at the pod racing because there's gambling."

"Oria, I understand why that upsets you," he said, giving her a sympathetic look and reaching out to pat her arm comfortingly. "But I don't think that makes them bad people. Sometimes things out in the galaxy aren't just black and white, and I think you're so used to being treated inferiorly, your mind is looking for it-"

"You asked me why I wasn't at dinner?" she prodded, cutting him off. His patronizing words annoyed her, but she tried to keep her emotions in check. "I was served food in my room. I didn't even know there _was_ a dinner, and I certainly hadn't been invited. I was brought back here right after the race and I haven't left."

Poe scowled, as if the news upset him but he wasn't entirely sure if he believed it.

"I'm sure it was just an oversight…" he said, but she could tell he was trying to convince himself as much as her.

Growing bored with the conversation, BB-8 beeped once and started to roll around the room, exploring everything. His inquisitive chirps were cute, but Oria ignored them for now. She was too focused on making Poe understand the situation they were in.

"That's not all," she said. "The women are married off at the age of 16 to the man The Leader decides is most in love with her. She has no say in it and becomes his property. I'm not imagining this; it's just like slavery Poe."

"Really?" Poe asked, scowling. He seemed to agree with her on the slavery analogy, but she didn't want to take any chances. He was in charge after all, he could make his own decisions.

Reaching over, she took his hand in hers, making him look at her. A spark danced at the contact, but like with the droid, Oria had more important things to focus on.

"Please Poe, I don't want to stay here anymore. They make me uncomfortable."

Poe sighed, rubbing his other hand down his face before nodding.

"Alright, we'll go to the ball tonight and tomorrow morning I'll tell Leader Turk that I need to return to my base… which isn't actually a lie," he added with a chuckle. "They probably all think I'm dead." He sighed, as if that realization had just hit him. "We'll fuel up and head out of here first thing."

"How long will I be sitting on your lap this time?" she teased, hoping to loosen the tension in the room. She'd never really spoken her mind before, and although she was glad her feelings were out, she didn't want him to think less of her for them.

Poe laughed, standing up and rubbing her hair affectionately.

"A little longer this time, but not as traumatizing as doing it to escape from your master's cronies."

"Fair," she told him, both of them looking up when a knock sounded on the door. Without waiting for a response, Maizy walked into the room. She too had changed into an actual gown; one much nicer than her previous clothes had been.

"I'm here to get you-oh…" she trailed off, realizing Poe was standing there. She frowned, unsure of what to say, before settling on a simple "you shouldn't be here."

Oria shot Poe an "I told you so" look and he shrugged at her before heading to the door.

"I thought I'd walk her down, but that seems to be your job, so I'll just see you both out there."

As soon as he was gone, Maizy turned to Oria with a look of annoyance.

"An unmarried woman shouldn't have a man in her room. We could have both gotten in trouble if he'd been found."

The chastising made Oria cringe, but she settled to shrug and respond that she didn't know.

"If anything, _he_ should be in trouble for showing up, not me," she added and Maizy shook her head.

"It doesn't matter what he does. Men can do whatever they want. You're the one who would be punished if he was found."

The statement seemed unfair to Oria but she didn't push it. What was the point, when they were planning to leave first thing in the morning anyway?

Obviously both agitated with each other, the women left the room silently, walking down to the town center, where the festivities would be held.

Large lanterns surrounded the area, hanging from wires stretched across the plaza. A group of men playing instruments Oria had never seen in her life were set up in a corner, the odd music floating off into the trees.

It didn't take her long to find Poe. The pilot was off in a corner, talking to two Togrutans. When she approached, Oria realized they were discussing the pod races from earlier.

Not wanting to interrupt, but also not wanting to stand alone, Oria hovered, taking in her surroundings.

Unlike earlier in the day, now men and women filled the plaza, dressed in their finest as they danced to the music. It was the first time she'd seen both genders together and now she could definitely tell a difference in the men and the women.

Taking her focus away from the people, she took in the scenery. She'd never seen something as beautiful as the plaza was. They didn't have celebrations like this on Lothal, and the colors, merriment and music overwhelmed her senses. There was so much to take in, she didn't know where to look first.

"Wanna dance?"

Poe spoke the words softly in her ear and she jumped, spinning around to see him standing close to her. She hadn't even heard him walk up.

"I uh… don't know how," she said, surprised he didn't already know this. Did he think they did a lot of dancing at the homestead?

"You think I do?" Poe responded with a wink before pulling her out into the crowd and turning to face her. His right hand slid around her waist and, after glancing at everyone else to see how it was done, his left hand took hold of her right. "We're gonna wing it."

"That seems to be your motto," Oria told him as they swayed to the odd beat of the music.

"Well it's worked so far, hasn't it?" Poe shot back with a wink and Oria smiled, shaking her head.

"I think we have different definitions of the word 'worked.'"

He was obviously about to throw back a retort when someone cleared their throat, pulling their attention.

"Mind if I cut in?"

It was one of the men from the previous day and Oria was thrown. Poe looked at her with a raised eyebrow and she shrugged, figuring it was alright.

"I'm Carvor," the man said, taking her in his arms like Poe had. He wasn't as warm and inviting as the pilot, however, and Oria felt herself wishing they hadn't switched.

"Oria," she responded, and he nodded, smiling.

"I remember. How are you liking Kiros so far?"

She knew he wasn't asking her genuinely, and instinct told her to lie. She wasn't familiar with this habit, but she figured now was just as good a time as any to start practicing.

"I'm enjoying it very much," she said, hoping her smile didn't look too fake. "The festival and this ball are nothing like I've ever seen. And I'd certainly never seen a podrace before today!"

"Aren't they exciting?" he asked and she nodded.

"Yes I-"

She was cut off as a shadow appeared to their left. One of the other men from before was standing there, looking between the two of them.

"Care if I take a spin?" he asked and Oria frowned, her nose wrinkling in confusion.

"I didn't realize I was such a commodity," she joked as the new man took her hand and spun her into his embrace.

"We like to treat our guests well," he said, not mentioning his name. "Especially very attractive guests."

His comment made her blush and she tried to think of something to change the subject.

"Did you see the podracing today?" she asked. "I've never seen one before."

"You watched from the women's room?" he asked and she nodded.

"It was fun, although I'm sure it was much more exciting watching in person," she trailed off and he scowled, looking at her.

"The races are no place for a woman," he told her. "They're just as exciting to watch from the viewing room."

Hearing the scolding in his tone, she closed her mouth, pursing her lips. There it was again, that feeling of inferiority. It made her uncomfortable and she looked around, trying to spot Poe.

He must have been watching them closely, because not even a minute later he was at her side, plate full of food in one hand, concerned look on his face.

"Can I take her off your hands?" He was already pulling Oria away and after a moment of annoyance, the man conceded, letting go and walking away. "Want some fresh air?"

His question seemed odd, seeing as they were already outside, but still Oria nodded, letting him lead her away from the dance floor and to a stone wall around the edge. No one was around them so Oria plopped down on the wall with a sigh, not minding her manners.

"Aren't you miss popular tonight," Poe joked, sitting down next to her. "I didn't realize I was in the presence of a celebrity."

"Very funny," she said, not finding it funny at all. "They make me so uncomfortable."

"Well don't worry, we're out of here tomorrow," Poe reassured her. "Even if I have to steal one of their ships with a full fuel tank."

"Could you fly it?" she asked and he rolled his eyes before looking at her.

"I can fly anything."

The words seemed snobbish but his tone was matter-of-fact. It seemed as if he was making a general statement, not bragging, and Oria believed him.

Realizing he was still holding the plate of food, Poe held it out towards her.

"Don't eat that pale brown stuff, it tastes like bantha fodder," he warned and she wrinkled her nose, dodging the small pile and going for an orange square. She wasn't sure what it was - which made her a little nervous - but when she took a bite and felt the burst of flavors, she was happy with her choice.

"They certainly have good food here," she said and Poe laughed.

"If you think this is good, wait until you get to Naboo," he told her. "Or Yavin 4, if you ever go there. Amazing food."

They fell silent as they both ate. After swallowing a particularly large bite of a white sauce and a cracker, Oria decided to go back to their previous conversation. Her curiosity had been piqued.

"Have you flown a lot of different ships then?" she asked and he shrugged.

"I flew an A-wing when I was younger. Then I switched over to the X-Wings, but I also know how to fly a cruiser and I did a couple trips with a T-47. But I mean… I've done a lot of flying in a lot of different ships. Put me in a cockpit, and I'll know what to do."

Again, she didn't think his words were meant to come off as bragging and she found herself impressed.

"If you could fly any ship in the galaxy that you haven't before, what would it be?"

The question was probably odd of her to ask, since she wouldn't know what he was talking about anyway. Still, she enjoyed seeing his eyes light up at the question. The his forehead creased as he contemplated his answer.

"A TIE fighter," he finally responded. "Those things seem crazy fast."

She had no idea what a TIE fighter was, but in that moment she made a small wish that someday he would get to fly it. If there was a greater being in the universe, watching over them, she hoped it would repay Poe for his kindness to her.

"Speaking of wishes," the pilot started, turning the conversation on her, "what do you think you're gonna do with your freedom?"

The question was a good one and she found herself unsure of the answer.

What was she going to do with her freedom? What did she want to do, anyway?

"I guess…" she started, trying to form words while simultaneously thinking of a response. "I guess I don't know. I suppose some sort of schooling. I'd like to get a better education than I got in my early years on the homestead but…. I mean I guess I don't know what my options are," she finished with an awkward shrug.

"There are a lot of them," Poe told her. "And I'm sure you'll be able to find the right one. Maybe on Coruscant or Hosnian Prime. Both planets have good schools where you would learn a lot."

It was the first time he'd referenced their inevitable separation and Oria felt her heart sink slightly. She knew she couldn't stay with the Resistance pilot forever, but the idea of their goodbye being so close made her sad.

"-and even a teacher might be a good option for you, if you're good with kids. Although I don't know what type of schooling that would even require."

Poe went on, listing off career ideas, and Oria zoned out, dazed at the realization that all too soon, he would be out of her life forever.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll be good at it," he finished, seeming to realize she wasn't entirely paying attention.

"What?" she asked, caught off guard by his comment.

"I just think you're a level-headed person," he told her. "There are so many career paths out there, but I honestly think you'll succeed at whatever you do."

His words meant so much, Oria felt her throat sting.

"That's the nicest thing you've said to me," she said softly, her voice cracking.

Realizing her response, Poe's ears reddened and he looked down at the ground.

"Don't get used to it," he joked but she could tell she'd thrown him off. He'd done that to her so many times already, it was about time she returned the favor.

"Thank you Poe," she said, pulling his attention back to her. "Thank you for giving me a new chance at life. I hadn't said that before now, and I feel like I should. It means a lot."

Her words were deep and she found herself drawn to his eyes. He seemed to be thinking the same thing, because neither looked away.

Oria couldn't tell if they'd been moving closer to each other, or if it was just in her head, but when a boom resounded through the plaza, she jumped, practically bumping noses before grabbing Poe's hands on instinct and ruining the moment.

"It's okay," he told her with a chuckle. "Just fireworks. See?"

He pointed above them, over the treeline, where large explosions of color burst in the night sky. With each bright burst, a loud boom followed quickly after and despite jumping each time, Oria found herself enjoying it.

"Here, lean back," Poe told her, putting his arm across her shoulders and pulling her body back into his, Her head nestled on the crook between his shoulder and chest and she looked up, seeing his chin in her peripheral vision.

"They're beautiful," she said, watching the colors dance and trying to ignore Poe's fingers, which had started to stroke lazily across her upper arm.

"When I was a kid I loved fireworks," he said, sounding as if he was in awe at the sight as well.

They fell silent, both pulled in by the sight of fireworks, and all too soon Oria found herself yawning.

"We better get you to bed," Poe said, patting her shoulder and then pulling away to stand up. "Don't want you falling asleep in my lap tomorrow."

Her body felt cold at his absence and she held back a disappointed sigh, standing and letting him lead her back to the dreary room.

"That was fun," she said as they walked through the halls. "Are celebrations like that common on other planets too?"

"Eh, depends," he said with a shrug. "Every planet does things a little differently. But if you don't like one, you can always move to another."

She didn't think it was quite that simple, but it was too late to call him out on his carefree words. Instead, Oria yawned again and pulled the door open, smiling when BB-8 rolled over to them in greeting.

"I know, I know," Poe replied with a sigh, dropping down to eye level with the droid. "We're leaving first thing tomorrow, I promise."

The droid whirred, seeming satisfied.

Standing back up, Poe turned to Oria and rocked on his feet awkwardly.

"I'll come get you tomorrow first thing," he said and she nodded, starting to feel nervous at the idea of being left alone for the night again. Still, she didn't want to sound like a baby, so she took a breath and bucked up her courage.

"Sounds good," she replied, watching as he headed to the door. Realizing he was leaving, BB-8 beeped and rolled over to the bed.

"Keep Oria company buddy, okay?" he asked and the droid beeped in agreement. "And turn your translator on." Another beep, and a holoscreen appeared above the droid's head.

Realizing the droid would be staying with her, Oria heaved a sigh of relief that she wouldn't be alone. Sure, the droid wouldn't be sleeping back-to-back with her, but at least he'd be another being in the room if she needed something.

Besides, she liked his company.

"Goodnight Poe," she said as Poe pulled the door open to head into the hall. He paused, looking back at her.

"Goodnight Oria."

* * *

 _Seriously, you guys are the best! Everyone who's read, reviewed, favorited or alerted this story. All of you are amazing and wonderful and I thank you so much!_

 _I'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to leave a comment below!_


	9. Chapter 9

_Longest chapter yet! Enjoy!_

* * *

Oria could barely tell it was daylight outside, the window in her room was so small. If it weren't for the fact that she had been awake for the last half hour, slowly getting ready for their departure, she would have assumed it was still night time.

They were finally leaving.

The thought bounced through her head almost as much as BB-8 bounced around the room, just as happy about their departure.

She felt bad for dragging Poe away from a place he obviously seemed to enjoy, but she couldn't stand being in this room another minute. Besides, she knew Poe ultimately wanted to get back to his base, and staying here wouldn't help with that.

She was just adjusting her headscarf when a knock sounded on her door and Poe peaked his head around.

"Morning you two!" he said chipperly. They were obviously all happy to get on their way. "How'd you sleep Beebee-Ate?" he asked and the droid chirped happily, rolling past him and out the door. "Well I guess he's ready! How about you?" Poe asked and she nodded, looking around the room even though she knew she hadn't left anything behind.

A small part of her wished she could have kept last night's dress, but she knew that was impossible. It's not like they'd given it to her.

Besides, who knew what kind of clothes would be found on the other planets she went to. This was just the tip of the bucket, and there was always a chance she'd find many more options.

Following Poe out into the hallway to join the droid, they both jumped when a man appeared in front of them.

"High Council Leader Turk requests your presence in the grand room," he said with a bow in Poe's direction. "Both of you," he added, not sparing Oria a look.

She wrinkled her nose but stayed silent, clutching Poe's arm as he held it out to her.

"Maybe he'll offer us fuel for the journey," he said wishfully as they walked off down the hall. "Being able to save my credits would be nice."

"Maybe he'll tell us we can't leave," Oria whispered and Poe laughed, shaking his head.

When they arrived in the grand room, they saw the Leader speaking in hushed tones with Carvor, one of the men she'd danced with the night before.

Noting their arrival, the two men separated and the Leader plastered a wide grin across his face.

"Good morning," he said, walking down the small steps and in their direction. "I hope you both enjoyed the ball last night."

"It was lovely," Oria said, cowering slightly when the Leader turned to look at her. Apparently he hadn't expected her to be the one to respond.

Oria wasn't sure if Poe caught onto the exchange, but when he spoke, he didn't address it.

"Leader Turk, it has been a pleasure staying here, but I'm afraid we've overstayed our welcome," he said.

"Leaving so soon?" the Leader asked, a frown appearing on his features. "Surely Commander you would want to stay for today. There's the wedding tonight after all."

Oria wanted to ask who was getting married, but decided to stay silent. The Leader wouldn't want her speaking out of turn and she didn't want to grace him with her curiosity.

Besides, odds were good she wouldn't know who the couple was anyway.

"I'm sorry, I really must be getting back. My General will be wondering where I am, and I need to check in so they know I'm alive."

BB-8 beeped what must have been a joking comment, because Poe grinned, trying hard not to laugh out loud.

"Of course, of course," the Leader responded, ignoring the droid. "Well, I'll walk you out. And I'm assuming you'll need fuel for the journey as well?"

"Yes sir, if that's alright," Poe said, laying on the charm. "I wouldn't want to put you out, of course."

Oria tried not to roll her eyes at his antics.

"Not at all!" the Leader boomed, laughing. Then he turned and snapped his fingers. "Have Maizy come take the girl to her room while I walk the Commander out."

Oria's stomach dropped in beat with BB-8's inquisitive whirs.

"What?" Poe asked with a confused chuckle. "No, we're leaving as soon as I've fueled up."

" _You're_ leaving," the Leader clarified and Oria reached out, gripping Poe's jacket sleeve tightly. He reached his other arm up, clutching her white knuckles protectively.

"No _we're_ leaving," he repeated. "Oria came with me and she's leaving with me."

"But you're not married," the Leader said, his tone indicating he thought they were ridiculous. "A woman can't travel with a man who isn't her husband."

"Oria has no husband," Poe shot back. Oria wanted to butt in, but her slave training told her to stay quiet. Besides, she doubted her nerves would let her make a peep.

She knew these people had been bad news.

"She has no husband _yet_. After tonight, that will change."

And suddenly Oria realized whose wedding he had been talking about. And then she thought about what the mother had told her yesterday.

 _"When the girl is ready to be wed, she is brought into a room and all eligible men are allowed to look her over. The Leader judges their feelings and the one he deems 'most in love' wins her hand."_

"The men yesterday," she finally spoke, putting all the pieces together. Poe and the Leader turned to look at her, both surprised that she'd spoken. "When you had me wear the gold robe. Those were the eligible men looking me over as their potential wife."

When the Leader didn't argue, she knew she was right.

"No way," Poe said, moving his body so Oria was shoved behind him and away from the Leader and Carvor. "Oria is with me, and I won't let her be married to one of your cronies."

"She's not with you Commander, because she's not married to you."

Oria sighed, realizing the situation they were in.

If Poe continued to argue on her defense, he could break any ties he and the Resistance had with Kiros and the Togrutans - if they had any to begin with. She would be the cause for so much strife, when it was all unnecessary. Poe had done so much for her already, she couldn't ask him to sacrifice more.

"Poe, it's fine," she whispered, bringing her face forward so her nose was practically touching the back of his shoulder blade. She closed her eyes, trying not to give into temptation and touch her face to his back. "Just go. I'll be fine."

She couldn't let him take any risks, especially if they meant putting his life in danger. She'd been a slave before, she could certainly be a wife here. Despite how they were controlled, the women still seemed to have more freedoms than she had before. She could grow accustomed to it.

Poe turned, his back to the Leader as he took Oria's hands and pulled them up to touch his lips.

"I can't let you do that," he whispered and she frowned, feeling tears pool in her eyes. Why was he so chivalrous?

"What are you going to do? Blast our way out of here?" she asked with a forced chuckle, feeling a tear fall. "They'll kill us in a second. Please, just go. The Resistance needs you, and you've already done enough for me."

Poe sighed, closing his eyes and bringing his head forward to rest his forehead against hers. She felt another tear fall as she closed her eyelids as well.

The gesture was intimate, but Oria didn't mind. This was goodbye, and despite knowing Poe Dameron for as briefly as she did, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken that this was how they would end. She'd thought they'd at least have another day or so together before they parted ways. She wasn't ready, but she'd have to force herself.

Poe pulled away suddenly, spinning around to look at the Leader.

"I'll marry her," he said.

 _What?_

Oria's eyes flew open as she looked at her companion in confusion. Below them, BB-8's optical eye was rotating back and forth between them, trying to understand the situation.

"What?" she asked, realizing the Leader had asked the question simultaneously.

"What I meant was, I _am_ marrying her, when we return to our home," he said, lying through his teeth. "We've kept it a secret, but we are to be wed."

The Leader scowled, looking between both of them. Oria tried to make her face unreadable. She didn't want the Leader to realize she wasn't in on this plan.

"Alright," the Leader finally spoke, making them both look at him. "Then instead of her wedding to Lord Baak, tonight we'll celebrate her wedding to you."

Neither were expecting that response and Oria felt her eyebrows rise in surprise.

"Oh… thank you for the offer, but we'd rather-" Poe started to say but the Leader cut him off.

"Commander, please do not belittle our ways by thinking you are above them. Here on Kiros a woman is not allowed to travel in the presence of a man who is not her husband. So either she stays here and marries Lord Baak or she leaves tomorrow as your wife."

Poe sighed, turning back to look at her. Oria felt a fresh wave of tears and tried to blink them away. Hoping he'd understand, she shook her head lightly.

"Fine," he said out loud, ignoring her head shake but not taking his eyes from hers. "I'll marry her."

"Poe," she said, hardly believing what she was hearing. "Can I speak to you please? _In private?_ "

The request was bold, but she had to talk him out of this ridiculous idea.

Poe glanced at the Leader before sighing.

"Would you excuse us for a moment?" he asked, not waiting for the Leader's response before grabbing Oria's arm and pulling her out into the hall, indicating that BB-8 should stay. "I'd appreciate you not arguing with my decisions," he hissed in a very 'in charge' manner.

"I can argue when they're stupid decisions," Oria shot back, surprised at her own boldness. Poe seemed shocked as well. His eyebrows rose and he leaned a few inches back. "Poe… you can't marry me."

"It's not for real Oria," he scoffed. "We'll go through with this and get off this rock and they'll be none the wiser."

She shook her head silently. She knew he didn't understand.

"Togruta weddings are forever, Poe," she said and he shook his head at her words.

"Any marriage can be annulled," he told her. "As soon as we land on Hosnian Prime, we'll visit one of the judges and end the whole thing."

"But the marriage lasts as long as the tattoo ring…" she said with a sigh. She'd seen a few traders come through the homestead with tattoos; she knew they were permanent.

Instead of being frustrated, Poe laughed.

"We can go anywhere and get a tattoo removed," he told her, much to her surprise. "If tattoos were truly permanent, half of the Resistance would be covered in unwanted ink from drunken nights spent on shady planets."

Oria's forehead wrinkled. Was that true? She'd assumed once they were on your skin, there was no way to remove them…. however, he was more knowledgeable in the ways of the galaxy than her, so she couldn't argue.

"You know," she said with a chuckle, putting her hands on her hips. This whole situation was ridiculous and her emotions had no clue which took precedence. "You don't always have to be the hero."

"But where's the fun in that?" he asked with a shrug and a wink, before turning and heading back to where the Leader was waiting. Not sure what was going to be said, Oria shuffled softly behind him.

"Tonight, at your ceremony, I will marry Oria, and then tomorrow morning, we will leave. Together."

His words had a tone of finality and the Leader raised his eyebrows in surprise. Oria smirked but then tried to hide it. She didn't want to give the Leader more reason to dislike them.

"But sir," Carvor finally spoke up, walking forward. "What about your promise?"

"Oria does not live here, she's never been dependent on you, and she's not yours to promise to someone else," Poe said, and whether he'd done it on purpose or not, Oria was pleased that he kept using her name. It was a direct contrast to the Leader only referring to her as "she" or "her."

The Leader seemed to contemplate Poe's words, thinking them over. Poe watched him, as if expecting him to argue. Instead the man shrugged before turning to Carvor.

"You're dismissed," he said, and then he watched a disgruntled Carvor storm out of the hall before looking at Oria. "And you," he started, taking a step towards her.

Oria cowered behind Poe, and his arm shot up to barricade her from the older man.

The Leader frowned at the exchange before turning and snapping his fingers. Immediately, Maizy appeared, looking at each of them with curiosity.

"Take the girl to the preparation room for her wedding to Commander Dameron."

Realizing they would be separated, Oria gripped Poe's wrist, nervous about being out of his sight.

"It's fine," Poe whispered, turning around and facing her again after the Leader had spoken. "Go with her, and I'll check on you if I can. Take Beebee-Ate with you."

Taking his words as an order, Oria nodded, smiling softly when Poe took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

The girls walked silently down the hall, up two flights of stairs and down another hall, stopping outside of an elegant wooden door. Somehow the droid kept up, his usual chipper sounds missing as he kept Oria in his sight.

When Maizy opened the door to let them in, Oria had to admit it was a definite improvement over the last room she'd been put in.

"Maizy," she said as soon as the girls were inside, giving the room a quick lookover before turning to her companion. "I know we haven't talked much, but please, I don't know what's going on, and I could use someone to explain it all to me."

Her words seemed to do the trick, and the other girl's features softened into the first smile Oria had seen on her face.

"It's not as scary as you think," Maizy told her. "Let's get you into a warm bath and I'll explain while I wash your hair."

No one had ever bathed Oria before, and she had to admit she felt self-conscious stripping out of her clothes and climbing naked into the water.

In fact, she'd never even had a warm bath before. At the homestead, slaves took quick showers every few days so the smell wouldn't get too unbearable, and the water definitely couldn't be described as warm. Still, she'd never known anything else, so it hadn't seemed too bad.

Nestling down under the purple soap bubbles, she sighed and closed her eyes while Maizy began scrubbing her scalp.

She'd been wrong. Cold showers were terrible compared to this.

Despite her nerves at the whole situation, Oria relaxed. She could get used to this kind of pampering.

As she scrubbed, Maizy told Oria everything she needed to know about a Togrutan wedding ceremony.

"I don't know how weddings are where you come from, but here the focus is on the connection that will bind the bride to her groom for the rest of her life. The groom will enter first, and participate in a short ceremony with the Leader. Only the men are allowed to witness that. Then the bride will enter, accompanied by her ladies in waiting, who are the only women allowed at the ceremony. You will walk down the aisle and meet your groom at the altar, where you will both say a reading from the Great Book. After the reading, the Designer will step forward and bind you together with the marriage bands. A song is sung, and then the ceremony is over."

Oria had only ever attended slave weddings, so she didn't think she was an expert on how a ceremony went. Still, it sounded somewhat similar to how Maizy described it, with the exception of the groom's superiority.

After her bath was done, Oria climbed out and was handed a lush white robe. She snuggled into it while Maizy began combing out her damp hair.

"I mentioned it before, but I'm unfamiliar with hair," Maizy told her as she combed. "And I'm not quite sure what we'll do with it for the ceremony. I mean… we could cut it I suppose…"

"No!" Oria cried, reaching up and grabbing her hair with both hands. Maizy stepped back cautiously.

"Alright fine, but don't expect it to look perfect by any means," she said with finality, going over to the dresser to set the comb down.

A knock on the door made Oria jump, and Maizy chuckled.

"That'll be your other ladies in waiting. Since you don't have any friends here, I invited a handful of my own," she explained as she walked over to open the door and let the five women in.

At the arrival of more Togrutans, BB-8 beeped, looking from them to Oria. She shrugged in response, assuming he was just as curious to the situation as she was.

Cheerful chatter sprang up around the room as the women got to work, pampering and preparing Oria for her wedding.

That thought made her stomach flop and she tried to focus on the women's discussions instead. Afterall, it was just temporary. It couldn't even technically be called a real marriage, but that didn't mean it wasn't a real ceremony.

Two of the women ran their fingers through Oria's hair, untangling it and letting it dry. A woman sat on front of her, hands lathered with lotion as she rubbed it all over her legs and feet. It tickled, but Oria didn't want to make the situation more awkward than it was, so she stayed quiet.

The remaining three women huddled in the corner, talking as they prepared something Oria couldn't see.

She found out what it was a moment later when the women walked over and began spreading oils and lotions on her face.

After hours of preparation, Maizy finally deemed her ready, pulling Oria to her feet and letting her look in a mirror.

Oria's jaw dropped.

She looked ridiculous.

Her hair was pulled back as tightly as it could go, twisted into a knot at the top of her head. Her skin was covered with a layer of makeup, giving it an orangish tint that made her cringe. Sure, the color looked good on the Togrutans, who had naturally orange skin. But on her, it just looked like she'd been out in the fields on Lothal for a very long time.

Her eyebrows had been slicked with goo until they seemed to blend in with her skin, while her eyelids had been dusted with purple shadow, making them seem sunken. Her lips stood out the most, a deep mauve in contrast with the rest of her features.

She supposed the look was traditional for their weddings, but she wasn't a traditional Togrutan and it looked awful. She looked from woman to woman, expecting one of them to voice a similar opinion.

Behind them, BB-8 made an odd sort of raspberry and turned his optical eye away from her. Oria took that to mean he was on the same page as her.

"Gorgeous," Maisy said with a smile, standing in front of her. "We'll place the tears of honor closer to the ceremony."

"Tears of honor?" Oria asked, confused to the meaning. Maisy seemed to remember she wasn't from there and smiled condescendingly.

"Before the Togrutan men came along, us women were treated cruelly by our masters. We often remember our ancestors, the mothers who were not free as we are today. The tears of honor are placed on our faces as a testament to what they went through so that we may be free."

Oria wrinkled her nose but otherwise stayed silent. She may have been raised a slave, and thus not been given a proper education, but even she knew that something in that story didn't add up. However it wasn't her place to say, and her goal was to run into as little trouble as possible before they left.

One of the women walked over to the closet and pulled out a large, cream-colored robe. It was embroidered with different colored threads, spinning out pictures and symbols that certainly had as much meaning as the tears of honor did.

This time Oria chose not to ask what they all meant.

The thick bathrobe was tugged off of Oria's body, leaving her standing naked in the middle of the room. Wincing at the sudden drop in temperature, her arms were quick to cover her body from view.

The group of women didn't seem to care, instead taking the formal robe and draping it around her body.

"Do I not wear anything underneath?" Oria asked, startled that she wasn't even given undergarments. The fabric was thick, but the airflow didn't do much to warm her up.

"Of course not," an older woman said, stepping forward to begin lacing up the front of the robe. "After the binding ceremony is the consummation. There's no need for clothes underneath for that."

Oria blushed, realizing what she meant.

"There is something we need to tell you," Maizy said, glaring at the other woman as if she said too much. "When a man and woman get married, they must participate in a consummation of the marriage, upon which they-"

"Yes," Oria cut her off quickly, embarrassed to have this conversation in front of strangers. "I know what that is."

Raised eyebrows looked up at her and she realized she had said the wrong thing, again.

"You do?" Maizy asked, sounding surprised. Her eyes narrowed and gave Oria an accusatory look. "How?"

It was obvious that sex was a more sacred act here than on Lothal. As a slave, girls weren't expected to live a pure life of innocence until married. There were no rules when it came to how a man and woman should engage in private acts, and Oria would be lying if she said she hadn't overheard a few impure conversations among her fellow slaves.

Still, in the here and now, that seemed a very dangerous thing to admit out loud.

"My mother taught me about it recently," she chose to lie instead, hoping it would suffice. "Where I come from, girls are taught about it before there is any chance they may experience it, either via force or marriage."

The women looked at each other silently before seeming to accept her excuse. With a shrug, Maizy took to smoothing the robe sleeves down until they covered Oria's hands.

In the silence, Oria was hit with a thought that made her stomach turn.

Sure, the marriage was a ruse to offer her protection, but would Poe still consider consummation on the table? She realized she didn't know him well enough, and while honor seemed to be a top personality trait of his, making love to your wife in consummation of your marriage wasn't necessarily unchivalrous. Even if you were planning to annul it a few days later.

"It's almost time," a woman announced from the doorway, causing them all to look up at her. Then Maizy dashed over to the dresser and returned with a brush and a pot of red paint.

"Now stay still, the lines must be absolutely straight or it calls for an unlucky marriage."

Oria obliged, closing her eyes and only gently wincing when the cold brush touched her cheek, right under her eye. The bristles stroked down her skin, stopping just level with her lips. The same motion happened on her other side, and then Maizy announced she was ready.

One of the women brought over a large, awkwardly-shaped headdress, complete with a veil of thick, cream colored fabric that was long enough to flow down her shoulders and to the ground behind her.

"You don't have head tails, but that shouldn't affect this part of the outfit," Maizy said, lifting the headdress up onto her head. The corners were peaked, obviously to nestle on top of the Togrutan's head tails. Since Oria lacked them, the headdress wobbled slightly.

"Pin it," a woman ordered and Oria felt dozens of hair pins dig into her scalp, holding the fabric in place.

"We'll flip the front forward after you've done all the stairs," Maizy told her before the seven women turned and headed off down the hall.

"Oh, what about BB-8?" Oria asked, bringing them all to a stop. The women looked at each other before Maizy sighed and dropped to look at the droid.

"Down the stairs, take two lefts, down the hall, a right and then through that door is where the marriage chamber is. That's where they'll go after the ceremony," she told the droid. He paused in thought before beeping and turning to head away from them.

"The men are just finishing up their part, we need to hurry," one of the women said and the group took off down the other steps at a trot, making Oria stumble slightly.

When they reached two large wooden doors, Maisy turned and quickly pulled the solid veil up and over Oria's face, covering it and blocking everything from view.

"I can't see…" Oria said slowly, confused. How was she supposed to walk if she couldn't see in front of her?

"Just look down at your feet," someone told her, and then she heard the sound of the doors being pulled open.

An instrument she didn't recognize played a soft melody as she was lead down the aisle, two women in front of her and four behind. As they walked, she watched her feet, wondering if her concentration wouldn't make her more likely to trip.

She felt someone tug on the back of her robe and assumed that was a sign to stop walking, she did so, looking up and then remembering that she couldn't see anything. Back to gazing at her feet it was.

"A reading from the Great Book!" she heard the Leader announce a few feet in front of her. Shuffling was heard to her side and then Poe's rich voice spoke next to her.

"Were it that I, one lover among men, gave my life upon hallowed ground to a woman, so chosen by the Leader as the completion of my soul."

Something hit Oria's hands and she realized Poe was passing her the book. Lifting the heavy tomb in order to see the words, she smiled when Poe's hand appeared in her view, his finger pointing to a line of text.

"Were it that I, one woman, one body, gave my life upon hallowed ground to this man, who with his own heart, and the blessing of the Leader, has chosen myself as the completion of his soul."

The book was tugged from her hands before she realized her part was over, and she jumped at the sudden movement.

Footsteps echoed through the room as someone approached them, and Oria thought it was the Leader until he spoke and the voice was unrecognizable.

"By the will of our lords, I bring forward my tools, to forge upon this man and woman a symbol of their love, to be bound forever more, in life and in death, until this symbol has faded. Such is their love."

Skin touched skin and Oria smiled to herself, accepting Poe's hand as he reached to hold hers.

"This may hurt," his voice whispered in her left ear, and she was surprised to realize how close he stood to her.

His hand lifted her's, and immediately a prickling pain spread from her ring finger through the rest of her hand.

She was thankful for the thick veil, which hid her winces and tears at the discomfort she felt.

And then it was over, making her sigh with relief. A bandage was wrapped around her finger and all she wanted to do was cradle her sore finger until it felt better.

However, the ceremony had other plans. Poe fumbled with her hands, switching positions so she was holding his left hand. She felt his muscles tighten and knew it was his turn to be tattooed.

While her's had seemed to go on forever, his was over relatively quickly, and when their hands dropped, he gently looped his right pinky with her's, hiding the gesture in the fabric of her robe.

It was small, but the impact was significant. They were in this together, and he wasn't going to leave her behind.

"As these two are bound, so is it seen by our lords. May they bless this marriage with much fruit."

Oria blushed at the Leader's words, then jumped when the veil was unexpectedly pulled back.

A quick glance around told her most of the men on Kiros were seated on stools that filled the entire room. Candles were lit, but a large chandelier overhead filled the room in a bright light that made her blink as her eyes grew accustomed to the increase in brightness.

Seeing Poe for the first time, she focused on his widening eyes. Then his cheeks puffed and she realized he was trying to hold back a laugh.

She knew she looked ridiculous, but did he have to make it obvious?

"You may kiss your wife as a testament to your marriage," the Leader said, and Poe took Oria's hands in his before leaning forward. His forehead rested against her's for a moment, as if making sure his actions were okay. She gave a small nod and closed her eyes.

When his lips brushed against hers, Oria's first thought was that space had dried out his skin. But as contact grew stronger, that thought went away.

Their noses smooshed together as he pulled her closer, his lips tugging against hers in a way that felt very passionate for a chaste wedding kiss. Oria inhaled through her nose, trying to get enough air to keep from getting winded.

The man could kiss!

She'd be lying if she said she hadn't imagined kissing him before they parted ways, but she'd definitely never imagined it to be like this. In fact, she was started to find herself not wanting it to end.

He pulled away much too soon for her liking, his head hovering near her's for a second before they both turned their attention to the music being sung by the men in attendance.

Moving first, Poe turned to face a door to their right, taking her hand and looping it through his arm before leading her across the room and away from the crowd.

He pulled her quickly and she could tell he was just as eager to get away from prying eyes as she was. They'd done their performance and now they wanted some privacy.

When he pulled the door open, BB-8 let out a loud beep of surprise, then a chatter of sounds when he realized it was them.

As soon as the door was shut, Oria let go of Poe's arm and reached up to tug the headdress and pins from her hair, wincing at the soreness in her finger.

Behind her, Poe couldn't hold back his laughter any longer, taking a few seconds before he was able to calm down enough to speak.

"What's with your face?" he asked and she turned with a frown. He was right, but he didn't have to word it that way.

"Apparently they only know how to make a Togrutan woman look beautiful," she told him sarcastically, reaching up and tugging her hair loose of it's tight tie. Her tresses fell down around her shoulders, causing the roots to ache at the change in style.

As they stood there, she was surprised to realize she wanted him to argue; to say that she was beautiful and the Togrutan's were foolish for thinking otherwise. When he didn't, she scolded herself.

Of course he wouldn't. Their marriage was fake. Just because their kiss had been intense, it didn't mean he wasn't about to start getting romantic.

"What a day we've had," she chuckled, mostly to cover her awkwardness at wishing he regarded her kiss had messed with her head more than she realized. "If you'd told me back on Lothal that a short time from then I'd be free and married to a pilot, I'd have laughed in your face."

"I wasn't hearing wedding bells chime either, sweetheart," Poe said with a smirk. "I'm just as out of my element as you are."

"This just is not what I pictured freedom looking like," she said with a sigh, before realizing the comment could be taken as an insult. Looking at him, shadows from the lamps flickering across his face, she held back a smile.

If she was forced to marry anyone in the galaxy, even only temporarily, she was glad it was him.

Afraid to let him know that, because she knew his caring wasn't on the same level as her own, she turned and walked over to the window, pretending to be enthralled by the darkness outside.

"I promise you Oria," he said from behind her, across the room. "I will do everything I can to break this vow immediately so you really can be free."

Despite the fact that they had been pulled into this marriage against their will, Oria's heart fell at his words. She knew a small part of her was starting to care for the pilot. How could she not, when he was so charming and kind to her? He'd already put her before himself on multiple occasions on this journey, and she had never had anyone do that before. She'd assumed it was because he cared for her, but perhaps it was because that's just the kind of person he was.

She kept her back to him, hoping her fascination with the window was believable. She had to keep her distance, lest she fall for him more than she already had. That would only lead to heartbreak when he inevitably left.

"Time to get out of these ridiculous clothes," Poe announced, tugging his shirt out of his pants as he walked over to a closet. "My face may not be painted, but I feel as ridiculous as you look."

Feeling embarrassed at the fact that they would be changing in the open, Oria turned so her back was to him, beginning to unlace the front of her robe.

And then she remembered she wore nothing underneath.

She was about to comment on it when she froze, remembering _why_ she wore nothing. What if she commented on it and he was reminded of what should occur tonight? Even if the marriage was temporary, he had a right to what was his, didn't he? That's what she'd always been taught… a wife owed her duty to her husband. Did Poe believe the same thing the slaves did?

Nervous, she turned and pretended to look back out the small picture window.

"Aren't you going to change out of that monstrosity?" Poe asked, pulling her attention back to him. "The night sky can't be that entertaining."

So he had noticed her focus of attention. Wrinkling her nose at being caught, she turned to look at him instead.

He had changed into black woolen pants and was pulling a grey tunic over his head as he walked in her direction.

"I uh… I'm wearing nothing underneath," she said cautiously and he paused before bursting into laughter again. Behind him, BB-8 seemed surprised, his head tilting as he looked around Poe at her inquisitively.

"These people," he scoffed with a shake of his head, tugging the tunic back over his head and walking over to hand it to her.

She tried not to stare at the muscles in his bare chest and abdomen as she took the shirt and then looked at him expectantly. He rolled his eyes and then turned around so his back was directly to her.

Quickly, she pulled her robe loose and let it fall to the ground while she pulled the tunic over her head in a rush before he got anxious and turned back around.

"There," she announced, tugging the hem of the tunic farther down her thighs self-consciously. Poe turned and smiled before walking over to the bed and pulling the heavy comforter down.

"It's been two nights since you've slept next to anyone," he told her, climbing into bed underneath the blankets. "I'm sure you're exhausted."

BB-8 grunted and Poe laughed.

"I'm sure you were a good sleeping companion buddy," he said, making Oria smile.

Before she could say anything, he'd turned so his back was facing in her direction, leaving plenty of room for her to settle down next to him in a non-intimate manner.

He was too nice; too caring towards her. Her whole life had told her that a person would only do the right thing as long as it didn't compromise himself in the process. Yet here Poe was, continuously proving that false. What had she done to deserve his gentle treatment?

Wiping moisture from under her eyes and mentally blaming it on the exhaustion he referenced, she scurried to the bed and climbed in next to him, pulling the covers up and trying to keep from having any contact with his bare back.

"Poe?" she asked softly after they'd both been silent for a few minutes. He hummed in response, indicating he'd heard her, and his body shifted slightly to face up instead of to the side. "What are we going to do when we leave here? About me?" she clarified so he knew what she meant.

"I'm taking you to Hosnian Prime," he said with an air of confidence that told her he'd thought this over. "My cousin is there, working as an intern with the Galactic Senate. We can get this marriage thing ended and she has a residence with enough room to house you until you decide what you want to do next."

"Will she take me?" Oria asked, worried about what this girl would think of playing babysitter to a naive slave girl. She rolled over on her side, propping her head up with her arm and looking down to where his head was laying next to her. Despite sharing the same bed, their situation didn't seem uncomfortable, and Oria was happy they were getting comfortable with each other.

"Yeah, Haava's nice," Poe said, looking up at her before crossing his fingers together on his chest and looking at the ceiling. In the dark, she could just barely make out the bandage wrapped around his finger, reminding her of her own. "She'll enjoy having you around. She actually likes when people ask questions," he teased and she rolled her eyes, even though she knew he couldn't see her.

"What about you?" Oria asked the question slowly, worried as to his answer. It was obvious from his wording that he wouldn't be staying with her, so where was he off to?

"I have to return to the Resistance. General Organa will be expecting me as soon as I make contact that I'm alive and well. Hopefully they haven't already had my funeral."

"Is the Resistance far from Hosni.." she trailed off, forgetting the name of the planet that was to be her new home.

"Hosnian Prime," Poe told her, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "It's about 40 parsecs, so not exactly neighbors."

Oria didn't know how far away that was, but she didn't want to bother him with specifics.

Besides, she was more worried about what that meant for her. Sure she was free, but what would happen now? What happened to a woman when she had no education and was left on an unfamiliar planet?

And speaking of being left, what did all this mean for them? Would be drop her off and never see her again? Or would he come visit regularly?

Deciding she was too tired to ask these questions now, Oria yawned and rolled over onto her other side, tucking her hands under her pillow and closing her eyes.

"I'll take care of you, Oria," she heard him whisper into the dark. "Despite this unplanned hiccup, I will make sure you're alright."

* * *

 _What do you guys think? I have to admit, I was a little anxious about this twist, so I'm interested to hear what people think!_

 _Thanks so much to sarahmichellegellarfan1 for reviewing last chapter! You rock!_


End file.
